Second coming for pay-and-park in City?

Second coming for pay-and-park in City?
Deccan Herald

With BBMP planning to re-introduce the pay-and-park system on selected main roads, the system is all set to make a comeback in the City after a two-year gap.

After a two-year gap, the pay-and-park system is all set to make a comeback in the City.

Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is planning to re-introduce the system on selected main roads. It will be among BBMP’s 2007-08 budget proposals, likely to be presented this month-end, an official BBMP source told Deccan Herald. The system was scrapped in 2004, following a series of scandals (involving illegal parking fee collection) rocking the local body. Moreover, complaints of harassment of motorists used to flood the Palike every day.

As a result, then mayor Narayana Swamy had decided to bring in a free parking regime. The system used to fetch around Rs 6 crore a year to the then BMP, covering around 60 roads.

Revenue source

But now the cash-strapped BBMP is out to tap all available revenue sources to the maximum extent possible. The Palike now has to reckon with the huge expectations of the people of the erstwhile CMCs and a TMC (besides those of 110 villages), as far as civic amenities are concerned.

According to the sources, BBMP is currently working out the nitty-gritty of the proposal along with the City traffic police. While the police have proposed to introduce pay-and-park on 186 roads, BBMP officials are studying the feasibility of it, the sources said.

When contacted, BBMP Joint Commissioner (Development & Enforcement) Anjan Kumar said “the proposal has been there for the past many months” and that BBMP was seriously considering reintroduction of the pay-and-park system.

‘Many hurdles’

“There are many issues connected to its implementation. The traffic police have proposed many roads and we have to look into the feasibility,” he pointed out.

For instance, some roads will soon have automatic parking lots. Introduction of the parking system on these roads will not be necessary.

Besides, there cannot be parking on a road which has one-way traffic, he explained.



CHOSEN MANY

* Proposal to be part of BBMP’s new budget.

* Traffic police proposes 186 roads.

* BBMP working on feasibility.