BENGALURU: Students of many colleges say that they don’t have proper parking facilities inside the campus, and therefore end up leaving their two and four-wheelers by the roadside. They leave their homes an hour early to find a parking spot near the campus, any later and they stand a good chance of missing their first-hour in class.
Roadside parking often leads to quarrels with neighbourhood residents and fines by traffic cops.
Aishwarya SK, a student of a prestigious college near Cunningham Road, says, “It is very inconvenient that our college does not have parking space for students. It’s not safe to leave vehicles outside because helmets are stolen and cars are left with scratches and dents.”
A spokesperson from her college says that they do not have the space to provide parking for students, and are dealing with an ongoing construction activity. “We have given this facility to staff with great difficulty,” she says.But this is a problem students in colleges in various localities – such as around Millers Road and Palace Road, Hebbal, Mathikere, Shantinagar and Yelahanka – face. They are routinely fined by the traffic police, they say. One pupil, on condition of anonymity, says that the traffic cops tow away their vehicles even if they’ve parked in the allotted space. “We end up paying heavy fines – `750 and `1,100 for two-wheeler and four wheeler respectively,” he says.
Vaishnavi Anil, a second year humanities student, says that her scooter has been towed away “several times”. “It is not easy to find a safe spot to leave my vehicle. Residents too don’t allow us to park outside their homes,” she says.Mohammed Tayeeb, a student of a popular college in Hebbal, says that his college asked the students not to travel by two and four wheeler.
Students have frequent arguments with residents too. “I have to park in front of homes,” she says, “and they end up threatening me… one even threatened to crash into my car if I continue to park it in front of his house.” She says that they have brought this to the attention of the college management, but nothing has been done so far.
Shaikh Aasiya, a second-year student, too agrees that they have raised this issue several times with her college management. “They instructed us to park in a mall basement (around one kilometre away from the college) and pay `1,800 annually as fee... It was impractical and expensive.”College authorities say that students should simply use the public transport or manage with parking facilities provided away from the campus.
Residents call students ‘disrespectful, a nuisance’
A security officer (53) deployed at a High Court judge’s residence on Palace Loop Road says, “I have been working here for the last five years and, from day one, these college students have made my life miserable. They park their vehicles in front of both the entrances around 7.30 am and don’t return until evening, obstructing movement of the house owner’s vehicle. If I ask the pupil not to block the road, they start arguing and even abuse me… These rich brats are so irresponsible that they leave the key dangling on the vehicle.” Chandana Kotur, a resident of Vasanth Nagar, says, “I find it difficult to drive my car in the lane that runs along the college compound as students park their vehicles haphazardly. I’ve told them to stay to one side of the road, but they don’t listen.” She adds, “I blame the management for this as they’re blind to students’ necessities… I am planning to file an online petition requesting authorities to cancel the licence of such institutions”.
‘Afraid for my life’
Shanti Kumar, an 80 year-old, runs a humble eatery around a famous institution on Hebbal Road. She says, “I don’t complain about these unruly kids as I very well know that nothing is going to change. Suppose a police officer warns the students not to create any nuisance but ultimately I’ll have to bear the consequences. She adds, “The students are very egoistic and aggressive, so I don’t want to irk them and risk my life.”
Are bribes being collected?
Students say that they are often exposed to corrupt traffic cops, who are willing to ‘settle’ a parking row. Saniya Fathima, a final year student says, “I had an exam to attend so parked my scooty in the usual place and left in a hurry. Later, when I returned, I couldn’t find my vehicle; assuming it to be towed, I went to the High Grounds Police Station and saw my vehicle there. I told the officer several times that I didn’t park it in the no parking zone and demanded him for a proof. So he showed me a video which had a scooty which was of the same colour as mine but had a different number plate. When I told him the same, he snatched the mobile from my hand and threatened me of handing over the vehicle to the police. As I wasn’t carrying my DL with me that day, I couldn’t argue and was asked to pay `750. Besides, I only had `350 and the officer agreed to release my bike without a receipt”.
Students opt ‘free’ spots
Few colleges provide paid parking but the students don’t usually prefer because of a daily fee. Hemali Sanjay, a student at Ramaiah College, says, “We have enough parking space but the college charges `10 every day, so most students park outside. We have raised this issue with the management, but there has been no response from them so far.” Principle of MS Ramaiah College says that students have never complained about this. “Students can either pay Rs 10 daily or pay Rs 200 for a monthly pass. We have nearly three basements now where more than 1,500 vehicles can be parked.” A student from a college in Yelahanka says that they had to hold protests to bring down parking prices. “After protests, the fees were reduced to Rs 2.5 from Rs 5 for bikes and Rs 8 from Rs 10 for cars.” Aquib Pasha, a student from a college in Shantinagar, says, “We get parking space only if we pay Rs 1,000 for a sticker valid for a semester. The watchman goes on rounds and blows the tube of vehicles without the sticker,” he says.