Bengaluru: With roads in the Central Business District (CBD) dogged by parking problems, the traffic police have identified three places where additional cars can be parked. These are: Man Guard Road, Ulsoor Lake area and Kamraj Road.
The parking already exists around these roads, but there is space for more cars. For instance, the traffic police have suggested covering the drain near Ulsoor lake, which could then be used for parking cars.
In addition to this, the BMRCL is also planning a large parking area opposite BRV Grounds. According to the BMRCL officials, about a hundred cars and 150 two-wheelers can be parked here. The tenders have been called and soon the work on the parking lot will begin.
Mr M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) said that most of the roads in CBD areas have parking problems, hence it had become necessary to identify newer areas. “We are also waiting for the government’s nod on Parking Policy, which has been pending for a long time. The policy is expected to solve the parking issues in CBD areas to a large extent. The traffic police are taking up strict enforcement on wrong parking in central areas. We are also invoking IPC Section 283 for those who park on the pavements,” he said.
The traffic experts, however, claimed that the new Tender Sure project will not solve parking or traffic problems in the CBD areas. Professor M N Sreehari, Head of Traffic Engineering and Safety Trainers (TEST) said that the government must improve the walking paths in the residential areas, not the CBD areas.
“Even if the government wanted better walking paths, there was no need for expanding the walking area by reducing the road width. Though the traffic police are trying to enforce the law, due to the meager fine amounts it doesn’t pinch the car owners to pay the fines,” he said.
“Moreover, the BBMP officials have allowed many buildings to come up without any proper parking places, and such cases must be identified and both officials and shop owners must be punished,” he suggested.
Cubbon Road opens, Traffic still a mess
Despite the opening of major arterial passenger roads in central parts of the city, the Cubbon Road still can’t handle major traffic. Traffic snarls were reported around the Minsk Square on Wednesday, especially between the Queen’s Statue junction and the General Post Office junction on Ambedkar Veedhi.
The police, however, claimed that the traffic snarls were reported during the peak hour traffic and that for the rest of the day, the traffic movement was normal on Minsk Square.
There is also a traffic constable who has been posted on the Square so that the vehicles stop for pedestrians at the junction. During lunch hours, a large numbers of pedestrians use the Minsk Square to cross from one side to the other.
The traffic experts point out that it will take a few more days for the commuters to adjust to travelling on Cubbon Road. “But in the last four years, the volume of traffic in the city has increased and it’s another reason why there are snarls, despite a road being opened after four years,” said a traffic expert.
