Not a walk in the park'!

Nothing is as unnerving as coming home to a jam packed parking spot. Or worse, turning up late to work because of the same. If you have been there and done that, well, welcome to the club of cribbers (with a legit reason to whine about)! Parking woes are serious issues that city folk deal with on a daily basis. History is laden with instances where ugly fights have broken out over inadequate parking spots. The most recent one was in Tampa, where a parking spot dispute led to gunfire. A previous survey also suggests that Bengaluru is one among the two cities, the other being Delhi, where acts of rage over parking spots are rampant.

Maria Ezekiel, a resident of Yelahanka, Maruthi Nagar, says, “I live in an independent house and normally park my vehicle in front my house. It isn’t a designated parking space but most individuals who live in the neighbourhood do the same. Very often other people who are visiting houses nearby park their vehicles in our space, leaving us with no space to park our own vehicles. In a residential area, the government must ensure that there is ample parking space for each resident. Returning home after a tiring day at work, it isn’t the best thing to deal with.”

Suddaguntepalya is notoriously famous for the inconvenience it causes its residents when it comes to parking. Over crowded with houses, not only is the place crammed; four wheeler owners are subjected to parking nightmares on a daily basis.

Sachin Shaji, a resident of SG Palya, seems to have found a solution which is only more bothersome, but what else can he do? He says, “I live in an apartment that provides parking only for two wheelers. I own a car which I cannot park anywhere near my house due to the narrow streets which is always bustling with vehicles. I am forced to leave it behind at my mother’s place, putting myself in a situation where I need to travel 30kms if I ever need my vehicle. There are also instances where I run out of space to park my two wheeler in the apartment because it is overcrowded.”

In areas like Koramangala and Indiranagar, places that are known for its pubs, eateries and social joints, the problem only worsens during the weekends.

Sushant Yadav, a resident of Koramangala is a firsthand witness of the same. He says, “The road in front of my house is so congested that it will cause a block if I park my vehicle here. I don’t have much options other than parking it in front of a school located almost a kilometre away from my house. During weekends, it’s hard to find parking because people who come to the eateries and joints here end up using our parking space.”

Throwing light on the legal aspect of the matter, Pramila Nesargi, a lawyer, who faces the problem herself, blames the government. She says, “There have been several instances when my visitor’s vehicles have been towed when it was parked in front of my house. I believe that when the government is making roads it is important for them to allot space for parking. The town planning itself is faulty and that is why we face such problems. As long as the law is concerned, there is no rule with regard to parking in streets. Unless your street is governed by residents' parking permits, any member of the public can park in your street as long as they are complying with restrictions, and not causing any obstruction.”