JOIN USBuilding violations add to parking woes in city
Structures that are built in total violation of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act and BBMP by-laws contribute to the parking menace in residential layouts, say officials in Bengaluru Traffic Police.
Come weekend, roads in areas like Indiranagar, Kammanahalli, Koramangala and HSR Layout are jampacked with parked cars, and in some places in two lines. The presence of restaurants and pubs have aggravated the problem in these residential areas.
The traffic police officials say that while digital fines are imposed on vehicles found in ‘no parking’ zones, there is no provision in the law to regulate cars parked in residential areas. “Members of residential welfare associations have complained to us, but it isn’t easy to differentiate between an owner’s car parked in residential areas and an outsider’s car. We monitor and regulate parking violations only on main roads and not in residential areas,” B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), tells Metrolife.
Building violations galore
The Town planning wing of the BBMP is still following the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) that was drafted in 2007 till 2015. “The plan should have been revised and a new CDP should have been drafted till 2037. That has not been done. All plans are sanctioned according to the old CDP but the city has developed,” says a senior official with the BBMP.
An official with the town planning department says the approvals and planning within a town must be done forecasting its growth in the next 30 years and that meticulous plan must be included in the Masterplan.
“But none of that has been done. We see a total violation of the KMC act and the by-laws because officials who are hand in glove with the local powers have permitted such a massive growth of illegal structures. You will see an eight-storey structure with about 25 cars parked outside the building. This is a violation of the building plan. There is pressure from the local politicians to let such things pass off. Who is to question them?” wonders the official.
About the most common violation, he says, “In a 20 ft wide road, you will see a 30x40 site having six-storey buildings with two houses on each floor but no basement parking. All the cars will be parked on the road and that is in total violation of the building plan. The parking menace in residential areas has increased because of this,” he says.
Srinivas Alavilli, with Janaagraha, who recently tweeted about the menace of parking in residential areas, says the need of the hour is to come up with a comprehensive plan that includes ample space for community parking and parking plazas. “The bus fares must be reduced and public transport should be strengthened to ensure that people stop travelling by their own vehicles,” says Srinivas.
Does DULT have a solution?
Karnataka Urban Development Department has approved the Parking Policy 2.0 drafted by Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) for the city. After its implementation, not only will the on-street parking get costlier, parking in residential areas is also likely to come under the ‘pay and park’ scheme.
While the first phase was to identify and come up with a parking plan to decongest the thoroughfares, the second phase will address the parking problems in residential areas, DULT commissioner, V Manjula, tells Metrolife.
As per the policy, parking in front of one’s residence will be allowed only after getting annual permission. The DULT has fixed Rs 1,000 per year for small cars, Rs 3,000 for medium cars and Rs 4,000 for MUVs and SUVs. Residents will be able to purchase parking as per the approved rates, adds Manjula. “Restricted and regulated parking is what we are working towards. The roads even in residential areas must not be used for parking. Every house must have ample parking space,” says Manjula.