Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Urban Transportation

Paid parking makes a comeback

Print PDF

The Hindu               19.09.2013

Paid parking makes a comeback

Get ready to start paying parking fees. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council, on Wednesday, gave the go ahead to bring back paid parking in the city, albeit in the core areas.

According to the resolution approved by Mayor B.S. Sathyanarayana, the paid parking system will be implemented first in the core areas comprising 85 major roads in three zones (West zone, East zone and South zone). It will be implemented in the areas coming between Ulsoor and Sirsi Circle (East-West boundary) and between Lalbagh and Bangalore Palace (South-East boundary).

The BBMP, which withdrew paid parking in 2005, will be implementing the action plan prepared by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), after the government recently approved the parking policy.

The resolution stated that the directorate conducted a study on the available parking provisions in the areas under East-West boundary and South-East boundary. The study revealed that there was demand for parking 4,800 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers here. With a firm view that the demand for parking will only increase further, DULT has classified the areas into three packages. While Package A is classified as premium parking area, Package B is business parking area and Package C is ordinary parking.

The BBMP has fixed parking rates for the 85 roads that have been classified under the three packages. The parking fee will be revised every year based on the wholesale price index.

The BBMP hopes to set up a Parking Information System and put in place parking meters. Citizens will be able to make payments through mobile applications and swipe cards. Digital display boards may soon appear on the selected roads indicating the available parking spaces. All this is set to be centrally controlled. To implement this ambitious system, the BBMP will have to cough up at least Rs. 40 crore. According to estimates, the BBMP is expecting to garner Rs. 80 crore as revenue through parking fees and will be spending Rs. 8.5 crore on annual maintenance of the fully automated system.

Termed as the Bangalore Initiative for Parking, the BBMP will first have to float tenders and issue contracts for five years. Mr. Sathyanarayana said that the nitty-gritty of the implementation are yet to be worked out. “We will discuss the issue with the officials and implement the system accordingly,” he added.

 

Parking fees to be back on city roads

Print PDF

The New Indian Express             18.09.2013

Parking fees to be back on city roads

The BBMP has identified 85 roads in core Bangalore and has categorised them into three packages. Bicycle parking will be free. (Express/File photo: Suresh Nampoothiri)
The BBMP has identified 85 roads in core Bangalore and has categorised them into three packages. Bicycle parking will be free. (Express/File photo: Suresh Nampoothiri)

Parking fees are likely to be back in three months. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plans to charge Rs 15, Rs 10 and Rs 5 for two-wheelers on roads categorised as A, B and C, while cars will have to pay Rs 30, Rs 20 and Rs 10, respectively.

The proposal will be discussed at the council meeting on Wednesday.

The BBMP has identified 85 roads in core Bangalore and has categorised them into three packages: These are premium parking (A), business parking (B) and ordinary parking (C). Bicycle parking will be free.

BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana told Express: “Once we get a nod from the Council, we will call tenders for the project. This move is just to formalise the parking system in the city.”

The Commissioner said they are planning to brand the move as Bangalore Initiative for Parking (BIP). “A unique logo will be put across identified parking places. With just the logo, people can recognise that there is parking space,” he said.

The government will give final approval for the tenders. It will take around three months for this procedure.

To overcome the old problem of the parking mafia, the new parking system will be automated. Both parking timings and fee will be computerised. A fare meter— like the ones in parking lots in malls— will be installed at these parking areas. This will be functional 24 hours all throughout the week.

Details of number of vehicles that can be parked and space in these parking areas will be monitored from a central control room. Details on space available on each street as well as nearby ones will be displayed on digital boards at parking areas.

There will be surveillance cameras at all parking lots. Estimated cost, including construction of lots, installing fare metres, road signboards and other expenses is Rs 80 crore.

Last year, the BBMP council approved the implementation of a uniform parking policy in the city and the same was approved by the government in March.

The  Directorate of Urban Land Transport had prepared an action plan.

They concentrated on an area with east to west boundary from Halasuru to Sirsi Circle and south to north boundary from Lalbagh Main Gate to Palace Grounds.

The DULT survey found that within this area of Bangalore city, there was demand to create parking for as many as 4,800 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers.

Major roads to be covered

Package A: Avenue Rd, Subedar Chatram Rd, Race Course Rd, Cunningham Rd, Commercial Street, MG Rd, Brigade Rd, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Rd, Kasturba Rd, Residency Rd, Lalbagh Rd, NR Rd and Dispensary Rd

Package B: SP Main Rd, Dhanvanthari Rd, Nrupatunga Rd, part of Kasturba Rd, Palace Rd, part of SC Rd, Seshadri Rd, District Office Rd, Laidas Marg Rd, Link Rd, Ramachandra Rd, Railway Parallel Rd, Palace Cross Rd, Lady Curzon Rd, Millers Rd, Millers Tank Bund Rd, Ali Askar Rd, St John’s Church Rd, Kensington Rd, Veerapillai Street, Ibrahim Saheb Street, Meenakshi Koil Street, Seppings Rd, Dharmaraja Koil Street, Haines Rd, Hospital Rd, Kamraj Rd, Gangadhar Shetty Rd, Wood Street, Castle Street, Brunton Rd, Lavelle Rd, St Marks Rd, Church street, Grant Rd, Convent Rd, Pampa Mahakavi Rd, Mission Rd 3rd Cross and Chikkabazaar Rd

Package C: BVK Iyengar Rd, Chickpet Main Rd, AS Char Street, Balepet Rd, Bannappa Park Rd, Cubbonpet Main Rd, K V temple Street, Killari Street, Nagarthpet Main Rd, Police Station Rd, RT Street, Sulthanpet Main Rd, Sankey Rd, Jasma Bhavan Rd, Edward Rd, Union Street, Annaswamy Rd, Thimmaiah Rd, Broadway Rd, St John’s Rd, Osborne Rd and Shivaji Rd.

 

Four steps to ease chaotic cross roads

Print PDF

The Times of India               17.09.2013

Four steps to ease chaotic cross roads

MANGALORE: It's supposed to be a literate district. But this "literacy" does not seem to translate to civic sense. Take the case of traffic problems at crossings, neither pedestrians care for rules nor do motorists.

While the state capital Bangalore and cultural city Mysore have underground and overhead passes at strategic locations, the city has none. The problem on having an underground or overhead pass is the paucity of space at locations where peak hour traffic is heavy.

So where lays the problem and what are the solutions? City Corporation superintending engineer B S Balakrishna proposes a four-pronged approach. But this needs coordination with multiple agencies which is hard to come by.

He says first of all educating pedestrians is a difficult task and it should be done by the Regional Transport Office and the traffic police. In the absence of this, Balakrishna suggests that where four-lane roads exist with median, it should be barricaded all along and pedestrians should be allowed to cross only near zebra crossings.

He also notes that in many of the places zebra crossings are hardly visible. "We should ensure that zebra crossings are clear and visible so that pedestrians and motorists know that they exist," he says, but rues that though corporation pays Rs 800 per sq ft rate for thermoplastic paint, contractors short change them with cheap paint - which does not last even two months.

Regarding overhead and underpass, the official observes that there is absolutely no space for that in the city. "However we are contemplating to have an underpass near Town Hall as there is heavy pedestrian crossing near that area as its is close to the railway station. There is enough space available on zilla panchayat and Town Hall side," he adds.

The most important aspect, he stresses, is enforcement. "Motorists have scant respect for traffic rules and in this regard traffic police have to be strict. Unless there is fear of the law, there will be no compliance," he asserts.

Another point Balakrishna makes is that most of the zebra crossings are near the circle. This should be avoided and a signboard indicating that zebra crossing is ahead should be put 50 mts before the crossing. "Also, the stop line for motorists should be five mts before the Zebra crossings. In the absence of which motorists stop on or after the zebra crossing making it difficult for pedestrians," he adds.

 


Page 28 of 146