Bangalore:
Karnataka's new Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to bring back 'paid parking' in state capital Bangalore. If the proposal is passed, the city could see a steep rise in parking fees, almost as much as it is in the city of New York.
Mr Siddaramaiah, who holds the urban development portfolio, aims to make Bangalore's traffic congestion free. The task may seem daunting but finding solutions to the city's parking requirement could yield some answers. The government also stands to earn over Rs 400 crore a year if the parking is handled by private companies.
"We have to ease the traffic congestion. There have also been many complaints of theft of vehicles. Paid parking could ensure safety of cars for owners," Bangalore's Mayor Venkatesha Murthy told NDTV.
In 2005, civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pallike or BBMP, had made parking in public places in Bangalore free of cost.
"Parking fee system should be three tier. CBD or Central business district should have premium fee like it is in Manhattan in New York. It should be a little less in less commercial areas. And in residential areas, the fee can be much less," Additional Commissioner of Police MA Saleem said.
The pay and park facility on the popular Brigade road in central Bangalore is currently maintained by owners of stores on the street. Here, the fee for parking is Rs 30 to 80 an hour on an average.
Authorities might be hoping changes in the parking system will encourage Bangaloreans to either carpool or choose public transportation.
However, the residents say there are no alternate means of public transport. "With this kind of traffic, it cannot get organised. Are we not already paying enough?" asks Sridhar, a frequent shopper at Commercial Street in central Bangalore.
"The fee should go up to discourage people from parking their cars for too long," says another marketing executive, who works in an office in the central business district.
Bangalore has the highest density of vehicles on the roads as compared to any other city in India, and with the Metro rail so far connecting only a seven kilometre stretch, the city awaits a more practical means of public transport.
Mr Siddaramaiah, who holds the urban development portfolio, aims to make Bangalore's traffic congestion free. The task may seem daunting but finding solutions to the city's parking requirement could yield some answers. The government also stands to earn over Rs 400 crore a year if the parking is handled by private companies.
"We have to ease the traffic congestion. There have also been many complaints of theft of vehicles. Paid parking could ensure safety of cars for owners," Bangalore's Mayor Venkatesha Murthy told NDTV.
In 2005, civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pallike or BBMP, had made parking in public places in Bangalore free of cost.
"Parking fee system should be three tier. CBD or Central business district should have premium fee like it is in Manhattan in New York. It should be a little less in less commercial areas. And in residential areas, the fee can be much less," Additional Commissioner of Police MA Saleem said.
The pay and park facility on the popular Brigade road in central Bangalore is currently maintained by owners of stores on the street. Here, the fee for parking is Rs 30 to 80 an hour on an average.
Authorities might be hoping changes in the parking system will encourage Bangaloreans to either carpool or choose public transportation.
However, the residents say there are no alternate means of public transport. "With this kind of traffic, it cannot get organised. Are we not already paying enough?" asks Sridhar, a frequent shopper at Commercial Street in central Bangalore.
"The fee should go up to discourage people from parking their cars for too long," says another marketing executive, who works in an office in the central business district.
Bangalore has the highest density of vehicles on the roads as compared to any other city in India, and with the Metro rail so far connecting only a seven kilometre stretch, the city awaits a more practical means of public transport.
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