BENGALURU: “Do not park your vehicles here, if you do so, your vehicles will be towed by Bengaluru Traffic Police,’’ a warning usually issued to the common man, is now being directed to our babus at Vikasa Soudha. Even gazetted officials have been warned against parking their private cars at the basement of Vikasa Soudha.
There are three floors for parking, which is for officials working at Vikasa Soudha and surrounding buildings. However, over a period of time this has become a parking space for private vehicles owned by officials, including High Court advocates, elected representatives and their followers.
A member from Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees’ Association (KSGEA) on anonymity said that the parking basement has good facilities like CCTV, round the clock security guard and good shelter, which ensure that the vehicle is in good condition through the year.
“There are officials who own two or more private cars. Since they cannot park the vehicles at their house or flat, it is parked here. Over a period of time Vikasa Soudha basement has become a parking lot for them. They behave like they own it. If others park their vehicles in their usual slot, they even ask for them to be removed,” an official said.
To put a stop to the ‘Babu’ culture, a circualr has been issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).
It stated that in a recent inspection by senior officials, they found that private cars of officials were parked for several weeks and months at the basement. “They have been asked to remove their cars at night. And if not followed, they will inform the police, who will tow away the vehicles,” the circular said.
This could also be a threat to security. “It is unsafe to allow private cars to be parked at a public property. Now that safety is a concern, how can one allow private cars to be parked at Vikasa Soudha, just because it has a pass sticker on the car,’’ asked the KSGEA member.