JOIN USPaid parking in 15 days at SV Road Metro station
It is goodbye to free parking at the Swamy Vivekananda Road Metro Station. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has proposed to introduce paid parking at this station within the next 15 days.
The first signs of this dramatic change was visible on Tuesday, when the entire parking lot was barricaded with a ‘No Parking’ board prominently displayed. Effectively, none of the Metro passengers could park their vehicles for the day.
Some took the risk of parking their cars and motorcycles just outside the barricade. Metro security personnel explained that orders from above were to allow only staff parking.
Enquiries revealed that a tree branch had fallen on a parked car on Monday night, sparking a verbal duel between passengers and the security personnel. There were also allegations that at least two motorcycles were stolen from the place despite round-the-clock security. To avoid any further trouble, the authorities found it safer to barricade the entire parking lot.
Ever since the Metro opened its underground stretch, hundreds of passengers have been parking their bikes and cars at this station. Adequate parking facilities with roofing and 24/7 security have been provided here.
On the proposed paid parking, BMRCL chief spokesperson, U V Vasanth Rao, had this to say: “In 15 days or so, we plan to have paid parking at SV Road Metro stop. We will soon be issuing a tender on this and bidders can quote their packages. It will be like the Baiyappanahalli station, which has paid parking.”
However, he said, BMRCL was not aware of any thieving of vehicles at the station or arguments and noisy scenes on Monday night.
“The current parking is at owners’ risk. Metro does not have authority to regulate parking there. It can be done only after tenders are issued and bidders take up the project. We are issuing the tenders now and in around 15 days, Metro should be able to regulate and control parking at the SV Road station,” Rao said.
Metro parking zones at other stations could face similar issues and in this background the BMRCL is mulling tenders at these other places, too.