No entry for public vehicles in BBMP

No entry for public vehicles in BBMP

Faced with a massive parking space problem, the civic body decides to close doors on bangaloreans

Srikanth Hunasavadi and Senthalir S. Bangalore



Don't take your vehicle to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office. You will not be allowed to park there.
Due to a severe parking space crunch, the BBMP has decided not to allow public vehicles on its premises.
During special council sessions, the BBMP will have to accommodate at least 1,000 cars. But the office has space for only about 250 cars and 500 two-wheelers.
On Thursday, BBMP officials created exclusive parking slots for cars belonging to the mayor, deputy mayor, leaders of the ruling and opposition parties and heads of eight standing committees, besides the commissioner, and additional and joint commissioners, and the 198 corporators. "There is no space for cars of low-ranking officers, and it is almost impossible to allow cars of the general public," Chandrashekar, executive engineer of the BBMP's multi-purpose engineering division, said.
"Most people working in offices nearby park their cars on the BBMP premises to avoid the parking fee. Henceforth, we will not allow them to park their vehicles here," Chandrashekar said. "We will also strictly monitor public vehicles. We have instructed the guards not to allow public vehicles inside the BBMP."
After the new mayor is elected, the BBMP's transport department will issue exclusive car-parking passes to all the corporators. Only cars with valid passes will be allowed to enter the BBMP premises. "It will be similar to the system being followed in the Vidhana Soudha," a senior BBMP official said.
BBMP officials have written to the traffic police to allow parking of officers' and public vehicles on Mission Road, Cubbon Park Road and Banappa park when there are council meetings. "The park will not be affected," GS Girishetty, assistant executive engineer of the multi-purpose engineering division, said. "Cars will be made to line up along the park."
But, traffic police officials fear that if vehicles are allowed to park on the two roads, the link to south Bangalore will be cut off. Some officials in the Palike said that cars could be left in the park located in front of the council building, while two-wheelers could be accommodated in the garden surrounding the BBMP office. None of the trees would be axed, but greenery might reduce in all likelihood, they said.
Girishetty, however, said no changes would be made within the BBMP premises to accommodate
vehicles. "Ever since Bharat Lal Meena took over as the Palike's commissioner, he has taken special care to improve greenery on its premises," a senior BBMP official said, explaining why no changes would be made. There was, however, a plan to construct a multi-level parking complex on the premises without affecting the greenery, the official said not wanting to be named. But that would take a while to be implemented.
BBMP sources said besides the parking complex, plans were also in the offing to construct a new council building, since the current council hall was considered small to accommodate all the 198 corporators.
"There are plans to build a new council hall, but the decision will be taken only after the council meeting," the senior official said.