JOIN USMCC plans action on commercial buildings
According to the rules it is mandatory that every commercial complex has to reserve its cellar space for parking of vehicles. But it has been violated by almost all the commercial complexes in the city.
MCC authorities have decided to remove shops that are constructed in the cellars mostly from the first week of June.
"Already, we have served notice to owners of over 226 commercial complexes in the city to voluntarily clear cellars failing which the MCC will launch the 'Operation Cellars'. Some of them have responded and approached the corporation promising to clear the cellars at the earliest. We have already given a long time for them and MCC will launch the operation against those who have taken the notice very lightly", said K S Raykar, MCC Commissioner.
The corporation faced the heat after the city started facing the problems of parking especially on thoroughfares.
In the absence of dedicated parking lots, people started parking their two-wheelers and four-wheelers where ever they wanted.
Even commercial complexes converted space meant for parking into shops with the intention of earning more money. Naturally, people who go to commercial complexes park their vehicles either on footpaths or on roads thus choking traffic during peak hours.
This has been in practice in the city for very many years. Even the corporation officials who are supposed to check such violations kept their eyes and ears closed.
So it became easy for owners to violate the rules blatantly without the fear of law. "Had the MCC checked and recommended removal of shops in the basement, it would have sent a strong signals to other offenders. But a few officials allowed such things to happen because of which we are facing the heat now', said Raykar.
According to the commissioner, as many as 226 commercial complexes in the city have converted basement (cellars) as shops. This included small, medium and big complexes.
The immediate task before the MCC was to serve notice which has been already.
Now it was up to those owners to remove whatever shops they have constructed in cellars to provide parking space for their customers.
The MCC would wait till May 31 and then it would launch a major drive against commercial complexes. There is no question of sparing anybody as everybody is equal before law. Now if they spared those violators, the city would face the big problem of parking in the coming years similar to Bangalore.
All heads of zonal officers are asked to be ready with all relevant documents before the corporation takes tough action on such commercial complexes.
"We don't have any problems as long as every owner of commercial complex provide parking space for his customers. But the MCC will not tolerate if they think that roads and foot paths are for parking of vehicles of customers of those commercial complexes", said Raykar.
He said parking problem is quite serious on all major roads in the city. Although, nothing can be done on D Devaraja Urs Road as the buildings had been constructed many years ago when the city was not having that much of vehicles.
In view of this, a multi-level parking lot is being planned on the premises of Sri Rangacharlu Bhavan (popularly known as Town Hall) where more than 300 cars can be accommodated besides, scores of two-wheelers, he added. But the fear is that by the time it is completed, the population of vehicles in the city may have increased by several thousands and that may not be sufficient.
One thing is for sure. The city is will face severe problem of parking in the coming days if the authorities concerned failed to take urgent steps in this regard.