BENGALURU: Gandhi Bazaar street is all set to get a makeover that could possibly see the crowded market become vehicle-free.The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) — a state government agency — has roped in Mayapraxis, a Bengaluru-based architectural firm and GIZ, a German development agency, for the purpose. They have come up with three holistic design scenarios for the street which propose to solve the traffic and current parking-related issues. The market is one of the oldest ones in the city and consists of several vendors and shops.
The three designs are to make the entire street or parts of it vehicle-free or to impose one-way traffic on the street. Solutions also include — setting up amenities for the vendors and shopkeepers as currently there is only one public toilet on the street, improvement of profits for vendors by removal of middle-men, improve footpaths, and have better parking management.
A multi-level parking lot has also been planned by the BBMP, which will execute the design upon its approval. GIZ will provide technical assistance in the form of engineering and documentation, and also build capacities among government officials.
A two-day exhibition is being held at Tagore Park — which lies on one end of the Gandhi Bazaar street — to display the design scenarios to the public and get their feedback through a voting system. The votes will reportedly play a big role in the design’s selection. Speaking at the exhibition, Vijay Narnapatti, Design Director Mayapraxir, said, “The street has become a vehicle-oriented one and is being used by motorists mostly as a thoroughfare. Instead, we will try to make it a ‘people street.’
“We have held three workshops — with the street’s vendors, shopkeepers and with residents of Basavanagudi, regarding their issues and their vision for the street,” said Brinda Sastry, Urban Designer at the firm. Sastry said the firm was also proposing ways to enable more people to reach the street. One of the measures proposed is an electricity powered shuttle service which would connect the street with the nearest Metro station.