Traffic island outside Lalbagh to regulate parking, help walkers

Work starts after minor tussle between vehicle users and the contractor

After a minor tussle between vehicle users and the contractor, the work on creating a traffic island outside the southern gate of Lalbagh Botanical Garden towards Siddapura (Jayanagar 1st Block) began on Thursday.

The work, taken up by the traffic police under B-Trac (Bangalore Traffic Improvement Project), will prevent haphazard parking of cars and streamline vehicular movement. Walkers had complained that there was hardly any space for them to enter the park and asked the park authorities to regulate parking.

The work was initially stopped following a heated argument between the contractor, vehicle owners, commuters and local residents. The contractor, the police and Horticulture Department officials had to explain that the project was to streamline two-wheeler parking so that visitors and morning walkers had no problem entering the park.

Ravindra K H, the contractor, said the traffic police had tasked him with constructing a small traffic island with landscaping and improving the footpath. “We explained to people that the idea of creating the island is to add to the beauty of Lalbagh and better manage the traffic. We will be providing dedicated parking space for two-wheelers and the work will be completed within two months,” he said.

Ramesh M, a resident, complained that cars, motorcycles and other vehicles are parked haphazardly around the gate, leaving no space for walkers to enter the park. “This is despite the fact that there is designated parking space inside Lalbagh. Once the traffic island is set up, all this will go away and the two-wheeler parking space can be better managed,” he added.

Chandrashekar M, Deputy Director, Lalbagh, said the area did not fall within the purview of the Horticulture Department as it was outside the gate. “Though no permission was given by the Horticulture Department, there is no opposition either as we understand that the project has been initiated by the police in public interest,” he said.

But some vehicle users opposed the idea. They said they could no longer park near the gate for the whole day. They also pointed that the junction was too small to have any scope for improvement.