BENGALURU: Parked vehicles are taking up nearly 60% of Bengaluru’s road space, leaving less room for moving traffic and worsening congestion across the city, Greater Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Monday, calling for stricter parking enforcement and better use of existing roads.Gowda said the city’s traffic crisis could not be addressed simply by building more roads, as vehicles were routinely parked on both sides of even narrow stretches, reducing the effective capacity of the road.He was speaking at a meeting with former mayors at Vidhana Soudha, where he called for urgent measures to regulate parking across Bengaluru, news agency PTI reported.Gowda said Bengaluru needed greater discipline among motorists and better management of existing road space.“Unless people develop a sense of self-discipline, it will be impossible to find a solution to Bengaluru’s traffic problem,” Gowda said.“Whatever government comes to power, we build roads and yet continue to face public criticism. This cannot be solved simply by building more roads,” he said.He said systematic regulation of parking could substantially reduce the daily inconvenience faced by commuters.According to a statement issued by the Greater Bengaluru Authority, Gowda said the civic administration and police did not have enough manpower to enforce parking rules effectively across the city.He proposed appointing a dedicated agency that would be responsible for implementing and enforcing parking regulations.The minister also pushed for greater use of micro-mobility for journeys of up to two kilometres, but said this would depend on functional footpaths and proper parking controls.“We are already working to clear and restore footpaths. But micro-mobility cannot succeed without parking regulation,” he said.Gowda also raised concerns over widespread violations of building and civic regulations, saying Bengaluru had developed a culture of disregarding basic rules.He cited unauthorised changes to sewer lines and inadequate parking space in residential buildings as examples.“People change sewer lines without following the rules and do not leave adequate space for parking in their own homes. Yet we continue to tolerate such behaviour. How long can this go on?” he asked.He said stricter enforcement of civic laws and regulations was necessary to address Bengaluru’s longstanding urban problems.On solid waste management, Gowda said the government had made registration and GPS tracking mandatory for all vehicles transporting construction and demolition (C&D) waste.He said such waste could be dumped only at designated facilities, with five locations identified for the purpose and compliance being enforced.Former mayors attending the meeting also suggested measures to improve Bengaluru’s civic infrastructure and day-to-day administration.Their recommendations included developing and upgrading cremation and burial grounds, using scientific and durable methods for pothole repairs instead of temporary fixes, and strengthening the city’s garbage and waste-management systems.(With agency inputs)
