BENGALURU: Bangalore University’s Central College campus has turned into a parking lot for Metro commuters, after the launch of the transport service from Byappanahalli to Mysore Road.
The Sir M Vishveshvaraya Metro Station is right in front of the college and Metro commuters, after using up the space on either side of the Post Office Road that runs between the college and station, enter the college campus for parking.
Over 1.35 lakh people commute through this Metro route every day and out of that 5,000 to 6,000 board or alight at Sir M Vishveshvaraya station. A majority of them park inside the college campus.
It is causing an inconvenience to faculty, students and other staff at the college, but the university authorities are passing the buck on to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. “When BMRCL used the university land during construction of Metro rail, its officials promised that they would develop the land after completion of work. But, so far they have not bothered with it,” said a senior official of BU.
Blame Game
Currently, there is no gate at the entrance of the Central College and this lets the general public drive into the campus easily. According to BU authorities, the responsibility of constructing a gate rests with the BMRCL.
Chandrashekar, the engineer in charge of Central College, says, “We have asked the BMRCL to place a gate and construct a compound wall, but so far we have not received any reply from them.”
The college staff have come up with their own solutions, keeping the commuters out by piling up cement blocks near the entrance.
A senior professor of commerce department, who did not want to be named, says, “From the day this station opened, we have been short of parking space. We keep hosting events at the Jnana Jyoti Auditorium and Senate Hall and the guests need the campus space for parking... We demand that the concerned authorities take immediate action.”
A post-graduation student, Prashanth, blames the Metro authorities for their poor planning. “BMRCL should provide parking space for commuters before launching its services,” he says, “instead of disturbing an academic institution.”