Bengaluru's Sir M Visvesvaraya terminal to implement vehicle access-control system
BENGALURU: In a big move to decongest the Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal at Baiyappanahalli, an access-control system for vehicles will make its debut at the station from Monday (August 19). No vehicle entering to drop passengers will be allowed to stay within the premises for more than 10 minutes and charges will be levied for overstay.
This will be the only station in Bengaluru Division to have this facility. A similar system attempted years ago at the KSR Bengaluru railway station was stopped due to the pandemic.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Krishna Chaitanya told TNIE, “The contract has already been awarded to Sri Balaji Foods and Beverages from Vijayawada. Railways stands to earn Rs 3.37 crore over a five-year period. They plan to start the system from August 19.”
There are several entry and exit points at SMVT making it extremely difficult to maintain traffic discipline. “The circulating area is spread over a large area making it tough to control vehicular movement,” Chaitanya said. Autos and taxi cabs park all around the circulating area ignoring the parking or pre-paid parking spaces, he added. “Since there is unrestricted entry into the station, autos and taxis solicit passengers from all over the circulating area resulting in haphazard movement of vehicles, and buses often find it difficult to navigate turns in the station. Passengers face enormous inconvenience,” he added.
Under the new access control rules, no vehicle coming to drop any person will be allowed to stay beyond 30 minutes. If they do so, two-wheelers will have to pay a flat Rs 250 while four-wheelers Rs 500.
All vehicles will be allowed to stay within the premises up to a maximum of ten minutes. For up to 20 minutes, two-wheelers must pay Rs 40 and four-wheelers Rs 50. For up to half an hour, two-wheelers will be charged Rs 100 and four-wheelers Rs 200.