Amidst opposition from the public and the business community for the pay-and-park on D Devaraj Urs Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, and Ashoka Road in the central business district (CBD), the MCC has decided to go ahead with the project. The civic body is preparing to float a tender soon. The move is to address the parking woes following a rise in vehicular population in the city.
As tourists and general public facing difficulty to park their vehicles on these busy commercial streets — with most of the space being occupied by vehicles of shopkeepers — there was a demand from various stakeholders to introduce a system for the benefit of tourists, and the general public who frequent the CBD.
Despite stiff opposition from few pro-Kannada, and other organisations, MCC has decided to introduce the system after inviting all their suggestions and considering objections.
Initially, it had planned to introduce the system at six spots on a pilot basis — D Devaraj Urs Road, Ashoka Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, Sri Harsha Road, Vinoba Road, and Dhanvantri Road, besides Town Hall premises. But now, only three locations have been chosen. A decision to this effect was taken at the MCC general council meeting on Thursday.
It has also been decided to invite tenders and finalise the agency/ agencies for operating the pay-and-park system on the three roads and the Town Hall premises, which will be opened for public use in two months.
Mayor M Shivakumar told TOI that MCC will introduce the system on an experimental basis only on D Devaraj Urs Road for a few months. Later, it will be extended to Ashoka Road and Sayyaji Rao Road. “MCC will introduce the system to address the parking woes, and not to fleece motorists,” he clarified.
“The council has given its approval, and a tender will be floated soon so the scheme is finalised. The tender will be awarded after finalising the parking fee for two-, three-, and four-wheelers,” said MCC commissioner M Laxmikanth Reddy.
The civic body is working out the parking fee for different vehicles, Reddy added.
