Parking: A door waiting to be opened

It’s often a Bangalorean’s worst nightmare on the road – to find a parking spot! It’s sometimes almost unreal and unbelievable when you come across an empty one!

A few years back the Pay-and-Park scheme was into position. The parking ticket mentioned “We are not responsible for Damage, Theft or loss of the vehicle”, which then made us wonder what we were paying for!

After deciphering the whole propaganda a bit more we realised where the contentious issue lay - The Money! BBMP used to auction roads to private contractors who use to then station the parking agents to give out tickets, and hand the cash back to the contractor. I spoke to one of these “agents” and he mentioned that the contractor usually gives two hoots to the number of tickets sold; he requires a minimum of 1500/- per day from each agent. So the agent isn’t too bothered if you take a ticket or not.

The contractor though would make a lot more money than his auctioned amount – some insane amount like 30 crores a year! Compare this to the 30 Lakhs that BBMP was making off it! The BBMP smelt this out or realised that they stood to lose, and hence withdrew the scheme – making parking “free for all.”

Even now there isn’t a single “free parking” road, in central Bangalore at least! The agents now jobless, still collect money. And some even Demand it. As a user I have no problem shelling out 1- 2rs/ hour if there would be someone who would help make place, and help park my bike. Also there is some safety in having this guy around your bike.

Now since there is no “fee” in space, some of these agents demand Rs 5 in advance, and sometimes even 10 rs /hour! Not complying with them would often result in your bike being damaged, out of place or scratched on return! It’s almost like extortion! And of course these agents to have to pay their “haftas.”

I might be making a fuss out something really small here. But you see if this can be regularised, people don’t have a problem paying the fee if they were give some basic service. The revenue collected is quite a large sum and can be so easily used to develop the city. For example parking in MG road and nearby areas alone per year can build a Magic Box Flyover! Or can also provide housing for some 10,000 odd families. It’s mode of revenue which will not be opposed by the users. In fact some will willingly pay!

The option of constructing multi-level parking complexes seems to be forever on paper. Maybe it’s because that many square feet of space in prime locality is worth a lot more commercially.

I hope BBMP re-things the Pay-and-Park facility and enforces more safe, and easy parking for citizens.