BANGALORE: There is no dearth of plans. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has grandiose plans to increase parking space and provide hassle-free movement of vehicles, but they are yet to be implemented. With parking either absent or reduced by half on most roads, parking has become a major issue yet to be addressed seriously by the authorities.

Multi-level parking complexes may be the solution to ease parking woes. But the civic body's failure in properly planning such complexes has only added to the misery of motorists. The Jayachamarajendra (JC) Road car parking complex is one classic example. Initially planned as a five-storey structure to accommodate 600 vehicles, it has emerged as a two-storied complex that can accommodate only 250 vehicles. And it took 11 years for the erstwhile BMP to complete this project.

Then the civic body decided to set up car parks under joint ventures with private companies. The Garuda Mall and the Kempegowda Maharaja Shopping Zone-cum-multi-level parking complex are a result of this. These complexes too have not served the purpose because they now cater to only mall visitors and the shopkeepers. In fact, they are more of shopping complexes than parking spaces.

Though there were proposals to build more such complexes, all are still on paper. A surface parking complex-cum-underground market on the lines of the Palika Bazaar in New Delhi was proposed by the former Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, at the junction of M.G. Road and Brigade Road. Similarly, "park and purchase" multi-level complex was proposed by Basavanagudi MLA K. Chandrashekar in Gandhi Bazaar. These and more proposals to ease traffic congestion in Gandhinagar, Shivajinagar, Sri Krishna Rajendra Market, Malleswaram, Ulsoor and on Siddaiah Road are yet to be finalised. Some of these are likely to be included in this year's BBMP budget.

Though there are designated parking lots in prime commercial locations such as BVK Iyengar Road, Commercial Street, Brigade Road and even Koramangala, people tend to park on the roads, as it is more convenient and free.

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