Parking touches a tender vein with traders

Parking touches a tender vein with traders


Faiza Haneef & Kavitha Kushalappa
First Published : 06 Dec 2008 09:43:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 07 Dec 2008 01:44:45 PM IST

BANGALORE: It is a stand-off that has made the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Commissioner S Subramanya write to the government asking for the withdrawal of the benefit offered to the traders, but sources in the traders segment maintain that there was no need for the BBMP to invite tenders.

After representations by the traders’ bodies themselves, the state government in May this year asked the BBMP to consider granting exemption from the usual tender process and invite offers from Traders’ Associations for the introduction of automated paid parking system in their respective areas. The idea was to have a public-partnership model on the lines of the automated paid parking system that is in place at Brigade Road and Commercial Street.

The BBMP identified some 37 stretches and invited tenders in mid-October. The response was poor - with hardly two or three takers for it.

According to sources, the traders’ associations in the newly identified areas are pinning for a larger share of the revenue returns from paid parking. In the existing arrangements on Brigade Road and Commercial Street, the revenue sharing between the traders and BBMP are in the ratios of 50:50 and 60:40 in Brigade Road and Commercial Street respectively.

A prominent trader at the Infantry Road limits said, “Parking facilities should be the privilege of the tax-paying traders of the area.” Those who were in the forefront of efforts that ensured automated parking system in Brigade Road and Commercial Street noted that bringing in the system was a “customer-relation” exercise.

“Where else would our customers park their vehicles? Even today in MG Road, 90 per cent of the parking space is occupied by the shop owners and officer goers.

Their vehicles remain parked through out the day and customers coming on business to MG Road have no chance of getting a parking space.

It’s obviously a loss for the business establishments,” he said. Traders argue that when traders’ association in the respective areas are willing to take the responsibility for parking facility in their limits, then there was no need for BBMP to invite tenders.

It is noted that in the case of Brigade Road and Commercial Street, the BBMP had sought an exemption under Sec 4(G) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act.

The BBMP should send a similar proposal to the government in the present case too, they said. Speaking to The Express, BBMP Commissioner S Subramanya said “We thought that it will be for the benefit of the traders. If it is a question of income from parking, it is all too obvious that we (the BBMP) have the chance to take all 100 per cent.” Further, he said “We have asked the government to take out the monopoly offered to the traders.” He also perceived a lack of understanding among the traders themselves. Unlike the case of Brigade Road or Commercial Street there are more than one association in some of these areas and they need to work out a solution first, he said.

The 37 roads selected for metered parking:

Hayes Road, Convent Road, Residency Road (4 stretches), Brigade Road, St Mark’s Road, Central Street, Kamaraj Road (2 stretches), Dickenson Road, Dispensary Road, Town Hall, Gandhinagar (3rd Main, 5th Main), Ali Asgar Road, Sadashivnagar Swimming Pool Road, Coles Road, SJP Road, V M Road, Jyothi Nivas College road, Jayanagar Shopping Complex Area, Infantry Road, Hospital Road, Lady Curzon Road, Main Guard Road, Rest House Road, M G Road, Church Street, Museum Road, Cunningham Road, Ashoka Pillar to Madhavan Park, South End Circle to Madhavan Park, Jayanagar 8 C Road (Canara Bank Circle to 30th Cross), Jayanagar Canara Bank Circle to 11th Main and Kumara Park Road.