Even as the proposed parking policy is yet to get the approval of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), is going ahead with a study to prepare a parking action plan. The DULT study will identify existing on-street and off-street parking locations in the central business areas inside the core ring road. Consultants to be appointed by DULT will begin the study in the next few months.

“Approval of the policy is expected soon from the BBMP. But still, on the basis of the parking policy, we want to undertake a study for the preparation of the parking action plan. Once the consultants are selected, the study will be completed in 16 weeks,” said V. Manjula, Commissioner, DULT.

Sources in the department say the parking policy mainly focuses on reducing the use of private vehicles and advocates an increase in the parking fee. “Parking fee in the city will rise considerably and will add to the revenue of the BBMP. Also, users will find that parking on main roads will be more expensive than in malls or in commercial parking spaces,” an official said. Plans are also afoot to make dedicated space available for pedestrians, bicycles and BMTC buses. The proposed study will explore alternatives such as the BMTC's Traffic and Transit Management Centres that have parking spaces that could be used by commuters. Parking spaces in residential and commercial complexes will also form part of the study.

The parking fee will vary based on the location of the parking space with regard to the Bangalore Metro station and accessibility to BMTC buses. There should be more off-road parking, and on-road parking should be totally discouraged, according to the experts. “We have to think very seriously and totally ban on-road parking (parking on both sides of roads) and instead off-road parking and multi-level parking should be explored. There is no need for road widening if we totally ban parking on the roads,” said M. N. Sreehari, adviser to the government on transport and infrastructure.