Malleswaram to See Paid Parking on Seven Busy Roads

If you've ever tried to drive or park in Malleswaram, you know how crowded it gets especially when the shopping rush hits. Now, the West Zone of the Greater Bengaluru Authority wants to shake things up. They've put out a tender to launch a pay-and-park system on seven of the area's busiest roads.

This isn't just about parking. The city's been dealing with a bunch of headaches water shortages, traffic jams, and overstuffed neighborhoods. Malleswaram, packed with shops and markets, is right at the center of it all. The place is a magnet for shoppers and cars, and during peak hours, things can get pretty chaotic. Officials say the main culprit is random parking on those already narrow streets, which just makes the gridlock worse.

Roads identified for pay-and-park

As per the proposal, paid parking will be enforced on seven roads:

Sampige Road

18th Cross Road
15th Cross Road
11th Cross Road
8th Cross Road
4th Main Road
2nd Main Road

All the identified stretches fall within high-traffic commercial zones where roadside parking is widespread.

Parking charges and day passes

The plan is simple: bring in paid parking on all these roads. The hope is that people won't leave their cars for hours, freeing up space and keeping things moving.

Here's what it'll cost you:

• ₹30 an hour for cars,
• ₹15 an hour for two-wheelers.

If you need to park for more than five hours, you can get a day-pass-that's supposed to help out shop owners, employees, and regulars.

Don't think this is just a money grab. Officials say the main goal is to keep traffic under control. "Regulated parking will discourage long-duration roadside parking and help reduce congestion," one of them said.

Towing powers, with limits

The agency running the show will have towing powers too. If you park outside the marked spots, your vehicle can get towed. Towing charges are capped-₹650 for two-wheelers, ₹1,000 for three- and four-wheelers. Parking fees themselves won't go above ₹30 or ₹15 an hour, as per the tender.

CCTV cameras, digital boards planned

They're not stopping at fees and fines. The agency has to mark out parking spots, set up CCTV cameras every 200 meters to keep an eye on things, and put up digital boards showing parking availability and charges.

Traffic cops are actually glad about the plan. One officer said, "Right now, we're always watching for cars parked on the roadside. These streets aren't wide, so every parked car can jam things up. If people stick to designated spots, our job gets a lot easier."

Civic officials say Malleswaram's parking mess isn't new. "It's a shopping hub-vehicles pile up every day," a senior official said. "Without a proper system, people just park wherever, and that blocks traffic."

They're betting that pay-and-park will get people to follow the rules, easing up the jams without hurting business.

The contract runs for three years, with a two-year extension possible. The West Zone's called for tenders, and once that's sorted and an agency is picked, the rollout will happen in phases.

This isn't the first time Bengaluru's tried something like this. The Central City Corporation recently set up pay-and-park on 23 roads downtown. North and East Bengaluru are following suit.

With more cars on the road and not enough space, city officials say these changes are pretty much essential if we want to keep things running smoothly.