Bengaluru to soon get digital parking metres, app for finding spots

Drivers will be available to pay in advance for a predetermined number of hours at a particular spot.

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The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is launching digital parking metres in Bengaluru through which drivers can pay for parking in advance for a predetermined number of hours. There will also be a mobile app that will allow users to get information regarding available parking spaces. The civic body hopes that the new initiative will reduce congestion in the city through specific spaces and having fewer vehicles parked on the side of the road.

A trial period for the initiative will begin next week on Kasturba Road.

“We are trying the initiative out from Monday, December 15 onwards for a period of one month. There will be designated spaces for parking on the streets and people using the spaces will be able to park their vehicles in these spaces. They can select how many hours they want to park and will be charged accordingly,” stated BBMP Commissioner Anil Kumar to TNM.

Trial run for the 'Smart Parking' system has kick-started today at Kasturba Road. This project is one among our several projects we have taken up to reduce the notorious traffic gridlock and also a finest example of how technology can solve our everyday problems! @CMofKarnataka pic.twitter.com/S6fFMVTsoE — M Goutham Kumar (@BBMP_MAYOR) December 14, 2019

A digital display set-up near the parking spaces will allow individuals using the spaces to decide how many hours they want to park for and pay accordingly.

“Different parts of the city will be divided into zones and each zone will have a certain price range,” added Anil Kumar.

The parking charges are slated to be priced between Rs 10 to Rs 30 per hour.

Officials hope that this initiative will discourage individuals from parking on roads for long periods of time. The goal is to ultimately reduce traffic by having fewer vehicles clogging the streets.

Payment at the spaces will be cashless and can be made at the digital kiosks set up next to the parking bay. Each parking bay will have a number and sensor. The parking facilities will accommodate over 13,000 vehicles, which can be left parked for 24 hours. The parking bays will be under CCTV surveillance for safety measures.