BENGALURU: Six years after the launch of the third entry at KSR Bengaluru City railway station, the first ‘Pay and Park’ facility for the public was launched on Friday. Located just across the Kempegowda Interchange Metro station on the jam-packed Gubbi Thotadappa Road, the objective of the entry was to decongest the road and the main entrance of the KSR station. However, owing to poor patronage for this entry in the past, contractors did not come forward to bid for the space.
City-based Smartlens Parking Solutions Private Limited has been awarded the parking contract for a three-year period from November 29. The 697-sqm space can house 180 two-wheelers and 20 four-wheelers.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SDCM), Bengaluru Railway Division, Krishna Chaitanya told TNIE, “This entry directly leads to platform one. Currently, the usage of the entry has picked up pace and approximately 10,000 passengers use it on a daily basis,” he said. Further, he added, “With the launch of an escalator on platform one recently, public can now access all the ten platforms. Earlier, they had to rely only on foot over bridge to interchange between platforms.”
Prior to the launch, the Railway Division and police put an end to the unauthorised parking of private buses and taxis in the spacious parking space, he added. When this reporter visited the spot in the past, it was often used as a playground by kids in the vicinity.
The contractor will pay Railways an annual fee of Rs 18.54 lakh during the contract period. “The daily average footfall at KSR station is around 2 lakh. The entry already has 10,000 people using it and is bound to shoot up after new amenities like paid parking and escalators,” said SDCM.