Date:28/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/28/stories/2006042824830300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Scheme already on?

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Two days after the traffic police recommended that the "pay-and-park" system should be reintroduced on 91 roads in the city, it is learnt that Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam has authorised a parking contractor to collect fee from motorists at a few locations in Shivajinagar. It is learnt that the contractor had put up boards indicating "pay-and-park" at the locations. Mayor Mumtaz Begum, who represents Shivajinagar, termed the permission as "illegal" and said that all the boards were removed on Thursday.

Pointing out that the Commissioner had not informed her about it, the Mayor said: "The Commissioner has neither consulted me nor the BMP Council before issuing the licence. The permission is illegal as the Council has allowed "pay-and-park" only on Brigade Road and Commercial Street."

"When I asked the Commissioner about it, he said he had not given the permission.

But I have seen that the file has been approved by him. I have asked the Commissioner to take action against the officials who were involved in this and place them under suspension," she said.