BENGALURU: The draft of parking policy for Bengaluru will be submitted by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) to the Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department in the next 10 to 15 days, after taking into account responses of stakeholders.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), and other agencies have given their inputs for the first draft.
“The draft proposes zonal parking plans that will be the responsibility of joint commissioners of all eight zones. They will have to look into creating parking spaces,” said a source from DULT.
“Several agencies, including BMRCL, are keen on banning on-street parking. The draft proposes making on-street parking expensive. This is to deter vehicle owners from parking for long hours, which usually obstructs traffic flow. Parking in residential areas is proposed to be comparatively cheaper,” the official added.
BMTC has requested for space to make bus bays, while traffic police have insisted on ensuring distance between bus buys and traffic junctions for smooth vehicle movement.
The policy focuses on creating space at Metro stations for pick up and drop rather than providing parking spaces as that may lead to congestion around the stations.
“Auto parking spaces have been proposed by BBMP. The proposal is to keep it free for the first two hours so they can pick up customers but then begin charging a nominal rate for subsequent hours, to ensure they do not idle at the spot,” the official added.
Multi-level parking is also part of the proposal, which is still being drafted. Fares will not be mentioned in the policy for parking. They will have to be notified by the transport department. BTP will continue to be in charge of enforcement.
After the draft is submitted to Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department, it will be made open to stakeholder agencies. It may also be thrown open to the public for their opinion.
DULT Commissioner V Ponnuraj said,” The draft will be sent to UDD and BBMP as well, as they have the power to create parking spaces. Other agencies will also be given another chance to respond to it. The purpose will not only address the parking issue but also ensure the free flow of traffic. At present, a significant portion of road space is eaten up by parked vehicles. Public consultation for the parking policy may be done by the state government.”
Demands Raised
Multi-level parking lots
Auto parking spaces
Bus bays
No parking on main roads