Bengaluru: The trade and transport hub KR Market, in the heart of the city, ticks all the boxes when it comes to business. But for years now, it has ticked all the wrong boxes on the parking front. The designated parking area beneath KR Market was dank and foul-smelling, and its familiarity was confined to those indulging in unlawful activities.But now, nearly 26 years after the new market building was inaugurated, the parking lot has been transformed into a high-tech facility. The single-floor parking area can accommodate up to 200 cars and 400 two-wheelers.Once it is inaugurated — which is expected soon, with the work 90% completed — the parking area will welcome vehicles with floral decor, wall drawings on the origins of the market, a Kempegowda statue, and fully lit surroundings. The new pillars feature decorative elephant trunk designs, blending cultural aesthetics with modern infrastructure.In Sept 2025, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) awarded a 10-year tender to Right Parking to revamp and operate the facility. The company invested approximately Rs 6 crore to modernise the structure. As per the contract, Right Parking will pay Rs 4.5 lakh a month to Bengaluru Central city corporation.The transformation is not limited to infrastructure. While the underground levels are now clean and organised, the ground and first floors, being part of the active market area, still reflect the typical chaos and dirt associated with bustling markets. According to Kumar, MD of Right Parking, one of the contractor’s primary concerns is maintaining cleanliness and ensuring the facility is used strictly for parking. “It should not be used for spitting or other misuse,” he said.A few days ago, GBA chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao and Bengaluru Central city commissioner Rajendra Cholan visited the facility and stopped for tea in the parking area. “From not being able to even stand here to commissioners sitting and having tea in the same place… it reflects the transformation we’ve achieved,” Kumar told TOI.While significant effort went into upgrading the space, its long-term success depends on public civic sense and technology.According to the contractor, the scale of cleaning and structural repair was massive. A total of 210 abandoned vehicles, including small trucks, were recovered from the parking lot during the initial phase. All the vehicles were handed over to Halsuru Gate police. Nearly 260 tractor-loads of accumulated waste were cleared from the premises.The contractor said there were 82 open holes on the first floor through which rainwater directly flowed into the parking structure below, leading to flooding and structural damage. “We’ve sealed and covered all of them,” Kumar said.The system has been redesigned so that rainwater entering through the entry and exit points is channelled directly into tanks, preventing waterlogging in the parking area.Divakar GM, president of the KR Market Vendors’ Association, said pricing and accessibility will determine the facility’s success. “The parking charges should be affordable. Vendors cannot pay high amounts daily, and even regular users may find it difficult. Another concern is space — after Covid-19, many shops expanded onto walkways, leaving limited room for vehicle movement. We’ll have to see how this impacts both vendors and shoppers once it (the facility) opens,” he said.Narasimhamurthy, a regular visitor from Nandini Layout, said he is looking forward to using the parking facility. “I haven’t seen the new parking lot yet, but am excited. It will be very beneficial if we can park our vehicles in a safe, designated space instead of doing so randomly on the roads,” he said.Lack of parking had affected footfall, according to Nagaraj, a vendor. “Many customers stopped coming because there was no proper parking. Vehicles were being parked everywhere — even in front of shops. We’re told the market will reopen very soon, and that should help vendors as customers will have more space to walk and shop,” he said.
