BENGALURU: The parking lot at Baiyappanahalli Metro station is a classic case of having the infrastructure in place but that serves no purpose when required. The issue in question here is the parking lots earmarked for the differently abled.
The sprawling parking space here can accommodate 100 cars, 200 two-wheelers and 10 cycles. Out of these, two car parking lots are reserved for the disabled. They are located bang at the entrance to make life easier for the disabled and the appropriate sign boards are well in place.
Reality Check
A reality check reveals that these spaces are never kept vacant for them, thanks to the ignorance by the staff hired by the parking contractor. It has been learned that on different occasions, the general public were permitted to park here. When we asked a car owner who had parked his vehicle here if he was disabled, he promptly replied, “Of course, not.” When asked about why he had parked his car in the disabled section, he said it was the staff manning the parking counter who directed him there.
A similar answer was given by a youngster who arrived with his family and headed straight to another empty disabled parking lot. When questioned if he was aware that it was a slot for the disabled, he replied, “Don’t worry.
I will see off my family at this station and take my vehicle shortly.” Those issuing tokens need to update us about it, he said. “As soon as I paid for the parking, I was directed to this space by the lady at the counter.”
K Hiremath, an IT professional, who regularly commutes from Baiyappanahalli station, says, “At least on two occasions, I have seen physically challenged drivers have verbal arguments demanding for their space.”
Staff Justify Their Move
But the women manning the counter justified their move saying, “There are hardly any physically challenged drivers coming over here to park their vehicles. Since the space is empty, we are permitting the general public to park here.” Another counter staff said, “If it were morning, I would not allow.
I know two physically challenged people who come in once in a while. But other times, no one comes.”
But what if differently abled individuals who are not regular commuters to the stations drop in? “We will take care of them and find another parking lot inside for them,” one of the staff members says.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Chief Public Relations Officer, U A Vasant Rao expressed shock over this. “These lots are only for the physically challenged and we have given strict instructions to the contractor to leave it for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, this originating station for the East-West Corridor bursts at its seams during weekends or holidays when families opt to park their four-wheelers and use the Metro. “The space is just not enough. We have informed Metro about it. When public request us repeatedly for space to park their vehicles, we tell them to try out the parking space at Swami Vivekananda Road or the Gopalan Mall,” informs a counter staff.
The station will assume enormous significance when the East-West and North-South Corridor get connected. When asked about additional parking space, BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said, “There is no more land available with us at Baiyappanahalli to provide for parking. Rao suggests that public commute upto Swami Vivekananda Road, where paid parking is available. They can easily park it there and hop onto a Metro train, he adds.
A repeated request made by many commuters heading to the Kempe Gowda station to board buses or trains was: Can we park our vehicles overnight here? Metro only permits 5 am to 11 pm parking here.