New year to see smart parking in city

This new year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to implement a ‘Smart Parking’ project that aims to curb illegal parking and solve the city’s space crisis.

According to BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad, the proposal for the ambitious project will get final approval from state government this week.

Speaking to DH, Prasad said, “We have done the tender process and sent it to the state government for approval. Within a week, the government may approve the project and issue the work order for the same.”

Parking spaces will be equipped with sensors installed along the roads which will send information about available slots to display boards on streets and to a dedicated mobile app.

The driver will come to know of parking availability through the display boards and the app. After using the space, the driver can pay fee through the app or on the spot.

“The project will regulate the parking crises in the city. The project is taken up under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model and the entire cost will be invested by the private company which will pay an annual rent of Rs 31 crore to the civic body,” BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said.

The company which has received the tender will construct the parking infrastructure, develop the software and equipment along with running the smart parking.

“The first phase of the project worth Rs 85 crore is categorised into three groups of roads all in the Central Business District (CBD) with differential parking rates on a total of 85 roads. Smart Parking will cover around 9,000 vehicles, including 3,000 cars and 6,000 bikes,” Prasad explained.

The BBMP has fixed parking fee from anywhere between Rs 15 and Rs 30 for a car and between Rs 5 and Rs 15 for a bike per hour; the fee varies in the three groups of roads.