‘Ulsoor storm water drain better suited for parking’

‘Ulsoor storm water drain better suited for parking’
Deccan Herald

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s plan to develop a parking lot on the Ulsoor lake bund area is facing stiff opposition from the citizens.

On Wednesday, members of the Ulsoor Lake Citizens’ Forum conveyed their concern over the proposed parking lot to senior BMP officials.

“We fear that the temporary parking lot inside Ulsoor lake bund area will pollute the air. It will also be difficult to relocate the parking area to the new venue after eight months. What is the urgency to start a temporary parking on the lake bund? The BMP can think of the parking lot after the stormwater drain has been covered,” said a forum member.

“The parking lot will serve only the interests of shopkeepers at Commercial street. What happened to the proposals for multi-level parking at commercial hubs,” said another member.

Meanwhile, the BMP officials are in a fix as their plan was to study feasibility of a parking facility near the lake before the permanent parking lot is ready within the next eight months. “We want to start the facility on the lake bund on experimental basis. The parking will be shifted once the stormwater drain is covered,” said Harsh Gupta, Joint Commissioner (Works), BMP.

The BMP has urged the citizens to form a committee to address this issue. But the citizens seem to have other plans. “We don’t want any experiment at the cost of the lake and the people who visit the lake regularly. We oppose any kind of interference inside the lake bund area, though we have no objection to a permanent parking lot over the stormwater drain,” asserted the members.

They are planning to meet the BMP Commissioner soon.