A pay-and-park kiosk on MG Road.
Credit: DH FILE PHOTO
Bengaluru: After the private entity that maintained the paid parking lot on several roads in the Central Business District (CBD) areas absconded without paying a single penny to the BBMP, the civic body has proposed to bring back the pay-and-park system on MG Road for the next five years.
This time, the BBMP's zonal office is leading the initiative.
Earlier this week, the BBMP's East Zone floated a tender for the collection of parking fees on MG Road between the Mayo Hall Court signal and the LIC building. The stretch has multiple spots designated for parking both cars and two-wheelers.
As per the tender notification, the minimum reserve price is Rs 70 lakh, and the bids will be opened on July 11.
When the BBMP first introduced the pay-and-park system, it had announced that the civic body would earn about Rs 30 crore per annum. The private agency — which had diligently collected parking fees from motorists — failed to make payments to the corporation during the contract period. Eventually, the BBMP terminated the contract.
Apart from collecting fees, the agency was also slapping a Rs 500 penalty on motorists for parking beyond the paid hours, instead of collecting the fee for the additional 'parked hours'. This, too, had drawn flak, but the BBMP had refused to act.