Lorry drivers complain that they don’t have proper parking spaces.
Illegal parking and loading-unloading activities on the roadside of KR Market lead to traffic jams in the crowded market.
Prabhath, a customer who had come to buy flowers at the KR Market said, “Parking here is a daunting challenge, with limited space and bustling crowds making it a nightmare. Finding a vacant spot is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack, often leading to frustrating delays. The congested lanes and haphazardly parked vehicles only exacerbate the situation, making it a place where parking difficulties are the norm.”
Sinan, a shopkeeper who sells bakery items and cigarettes in the KR Market said, “Parking bikes and cars on the roadsides makes the road narrow which leads to traffic jams and the lorry drivers always park on the roadsides to load and unload goods which affects the free flow of traffic.”
Narendran, a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), KR Market official said, “There are enough parking places in the market, but the people are too lazy to go to parking places and go for shopping. People are also not ready to give money for parking.”
Venkitesh, a lorry driver in the KR Market said that, There is no parking space for lorries, and they park in front of the shops because it is an easy way to unload large amounts of goods.” But vendors and pedestrians complain that it is making the road narrow.
According to Parking Policy 2.0 of Govt. of Karnataka, freight vehicles are not allowed to park, load or unload during peak hours in markets from 9 – 11 a.m. and 6 – 8 p.m.. But loading and unloading continues to take place during prohibited hours, too.
Nagaraj, Assistant Sub Inspector of KR Market Traffic Police station said, “Parking on the roadsides of the market is not okay, as there is underground parking, metro parking and other parking spaces available in the market. He also added that parking in non-parking areas will invite a fine of Rs.500. And in the market, traffic police are collecting fines from four to five people every day for violation of parking rules.
According to the Bangalore Police website, wrong parking and parking on footpaths will invite a fine of Rs.1,000.
Vikram Bhatt, an urban planner in Bangalore said, “KR Market is one of the biggest and crowded markets in Bangalore which attracts a lot of people. The parking problem in the KR market can be solved by decongesting the market, increasing the fine amount for illegal parking on roads, or making multi-level parking spaces outside the market to decrease the number of vehicles coming into the market.”
