Cycle hubs hit roadblock in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Opposition from corporators, MLAs and the public has come as a stumbling block for the progress of 270 public bicycle parking hubs across the city.
Despite surveys being done and parking hubs finalised, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport find themselves in a fix.
“Of the 270 hubs, work is in progress at only 20 locations, in Shantalanagar and Sampangiramnagar wards. Some locations were dropped after corporators opposed them. In some places, MLAs oppose them, and want a resurvey with us. We have done a resurvey as there was a gap between the original survey and when the tenders were called. Much of public infrastructure had changed by then. However, we cannot keep doing re-surveys,” said a BBMP official.
The Karnataka government and BBMP Council have already approved this project, for which Rs 8.4 crore was sanctioned.
In all, 62 cycle parking hubs were surveyed in HSR Layout, over 50 in Koramangala and some near MG Road, and are on hold due to opposition from MLAs and corporators.
“At least 150 parking hubs will have to be resurveyed. In some places, residents don’t want them, and in other places, commercial establishments say it blocks the entry of customers. We issued work orders on May 8, and have to complete work by October,” the official said.
Corporators want a piece of the pie
As per the permit given to cycle operators, the only fee they have to pay is Rs 50 per cycle per year to DULT.
“Some corporators are saying they will allow parking hubs to come up only if an “on ground rent” is given to them by service providers like Yulu and Bounce for using the corporation’s footpath. However, they were the ones who approved this project in the Palike council last year,” the official added.
Engineers say even if parking hubs occupy 2 metre of a 3-metre footpath, there is space for pedestrians. However, this did not convince local politicians.
Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said, “As Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) is approved by the cabinet and BBMP council, corporators and MLAs do not have the right to interfere. They can, at best, suggest other spaces in the same ward.
If they want an on-ground rent, they must bring it up in the BBMP council as this is not part of the original plan.”BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad was unreachable for comment.