No more automated parking

No more automated parking
Brigade Road Pay-And-Park System Ends. BBMP Yet To Renew Licence
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Parking is now free on Brigade Road. Vehicles used to make a beeline to the metered facility, but they are being diverted now. The Brigade Shops’ and Establishments’ Association, which was the caretaker of the facility, has ended the pay-andpark system.
“We voluntarily stopped collecting parking fee since June 21, when our contract ended. We’ve written to the BBMP, asking it to renew the contract. They are yet to respond,” association secretary Suhail Yusuff explained.
“Also, we had been paying the BBMP its share of revenue every month till June this year. The last payment of Rs 1.78 lakh was made on June 16,” Yusuff said.
On BBMP’s claims of having received no renewal forms from the association since completion of the contract since 2006, Yusuff said the association applied for renewal on May 12, 2006, which was one-and-a-half months before the contract ended.
“Even on June 19 this year, we submitted a letter to the BBMP commissioner and additional commissioner, requesting for renewal. Despite this, the additional commissioner has accused us of collecting money illegally,” Yusuff explained.
He said he has evidence to prove his claim. One such claim is a letter dated June 23, 2006, sent to the BBMP joint commissioner (development), inviting him for a meeting to discuss contract renewal. But the official didn’t turn up. Another claim is a letter dated March 3, 2007, sent by the BBMP joint commissioner to the association, confirming the latter’s request of renewing the contract. In the same letter, the BBMP granted permission to allow automated parking system on Brigade Road.
“We have given BBMP the required revenue. The total revenue given by the association for five years is over Rs 1.01 crore,” Yusuff added.
No renewal: BBMP
“There will be no renewal of contract. We’ll start a new tender process in two to three days. The Bangalore Commercial Association (BCA) has also been issued notice for operating a parking system without licence renewal,” said BBMP additional commissioner (east) S Puttaswamy.