The parking lot with space for 60 cars on the terrace of Jayanagar’s Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC), opposite the 4th block shopping complex is lying unused. At 3.30 pm on a weekday afternoon the lot was empty.
Empty parking lot on a weekday in Jayanagar one of the busiest areas in the city. Pic: Subramaniam Vincent.
Jayanagar is one of the busiest commercial areas in the city. There is space for around 60 cars and 20 bikes in this facility, says the BMTC, which runs the centre. For a car, the charges are Rs 20 for 4 hours. The TTMC was inaugurated last year with much fanfare by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, with Transport Minister R Ashoka showcasing it as an achievement.
Why is no one parking here?
First there is no clear ‘public parking’ signboard outside the entrance ramp. No list of charges written anywhere either. A previous signboard on the building wall above the entrance has been taken over by a large advertisement.
The lot is on the fourth level (terrace) of the TTMC and there is no elevator. Most people would worry that they have to climb up four flights of stairs when they return to pick up their car.
There is no signboard to guide people into the parking lot ramp. Pic: Chetan Boray.
C D Prasad, Division Traffic Officer (Commercial) for BMTC, confirmed that work on the elevator commenced only recently. The tender was given to Johnson Company. When asked why the elevator was not installed earlier, BMTC has no clear answer. "One after the other the things have to be done", says Prasad.
The contract for the parking lot itself has been taken by one Manjunath, who is currently undergoing surgery. Manjunath was not available for comment. His assistant Shankar who is at the parking lot all day says their contract is for three years and began in December 2009. The rent paid to BMTC is Rs 82, 000 per month, he says. However, they are currently earning a meagre revenue of 200 rupees per day and about Rs 2000 on the weekends, putting them into losses. ⊕
Addendum
Impact: A few days later, BMTC installed a banner signboard.
Any businessman paying a large amount of rent and not recouping some of it must be a real dumb-ass businessman! No one has thought of a solution to this problem when there’s a huge shortage of parking in Jayanagar?