PAISA VASOOL, NAH!

PAISA VASOOL, NAH!
The BSEA which has been running the automated parking system on Brigade Road for the past five years is not interested in raking in the moolah. They are ready to offer free service to prevent a corrupt parking system
ATUL CHATURVEDI


We are not interested in profits. Please siphon off the entire profit and leave the automated parking system to us. We have been running it succesfully for five years and will continue to do so. If a profit minded individual takes over the running of the system meant to decongest Brigade Road, it will defeat the very purpose for which it was started... This is what Brigade Road Shops & Establishment Association (BSEA) plans to tell the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner, Bharat Lal Meena.
IT’S 50:50
BSEA takes the credit for introducing the country’s first automated parking system on Brigade Road. This system has contributed a revenue of over one crore to the exchequer during the last five years. BSEA and BBMP have been sharing revenue on a 50:50 basis during this period. While the BBMP has been using the revenue for the city’s infrastructure development, BSEA has been utilising it to procure automation units and in the employment of 25 guards to man the system and traffic on the road. This apart from BSEA taking up Brigade Road’s beautification.
A FULL STOP
BSEA stopped running the system from June 21 after its fiveyear contract to run the system under Build, Operate, Own and Transfer (BOOT) came to an end. BBMP refused to renew the contract and decided to invite fresh tenders to operationalise the system once again.
In the back drop of this decision by the BBMP, BSEA has decided to offer its services to run the system without any profit. “Why call for tenders and select the highest bidder? We will run the system without any profit. The entire revenue generated will be remmited to BBMP. Just give us the wherewithal to run the system. If a profit minded individual wins the bid to run the system, his or her only aim will be to make money and not to maintain traffic,” Suhail Yusuff, secretary of BSEA told Bangalore Mirror.
BUT FREE, YAAKE?
When asked what is BSEA’s interest in offering to run the service free of cost, Suhail Yusuff said, “It’s the first on street automated parking system in the country introduced by us. The security guards employed by us to maintain the system also helped in regulating traffic on the road. Prior to this, the situation on the road used to be chaotic. Apart from this, it helped in preventing thefts and other crimes on the road. The guards ensured neat and orderly parking. After the automated parking was introduced, our regular customers who had shifted to malls due to non-availability of parking space on the road began to come back to us and this increased our business. The chances of people getting parking slots increased after the introduction of the system which encouraged a ceiling on the number of hours one could park their vehicle on the road. We did not allow anybody to park their vehicle beyond two hours on the road. We also banned shop keepers from parking their vehicles on the road. All these factors led to increased business, maintanance of traffic and good infrastructure on the road. So we want it back.” “If a private party takes over the syetem developed by us with a lot of pain, he or she may not concentrate on the traffic situation and the other people friendly initiatives we started. He or she may be interested in making money and it will once again lead to a decrease in the business. To avoid this, we are willling to run this syetem without any profit,” Suhail added.
“No other road in the country has contributed one crore plus revenue to the exchequer for a stretch of 200 meters. There is not a single complaint against us. We ran it on the basis of no profit and no loss. Out of the Rs 1 crore, we earned during the past five years, we have spent more than Rs 40 lakh on automated machines. Year after year, we have maintained the system. We have paid salaries to 25 guards on a monthly basis. We beautified the pavement and railings on the road. We have also spent Rs 45,000 every month to buy paper rolls required to print parking tickets. Still, we have to recover the cost of machinery. The BSEA members have borne the cost of the machinery. When we have done so many good things, why should we loose this system to somebody. So, we have decided to meet the BBMP chief and give him our proposal. There cannot be a better bid than this,” said Suhail adding, “It’s a colorful proposal and we hope BBMP will respond to it. The ball is now in the BBMP commissioner’s court.”
MEENA’S
INVITATION
Meanwhile, Commissioner Meena said “The contract has come to an end. We have to float fresh tenders. If BSEA wants to run the system without any profit, let them come to us with their proposal and we will examine it.