New Parking Policy in Bengaluru Offers Tax Waiver for Vacant Land
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the city traffic police are jointly drafting a new parking policy aimed at increasing off-street parking through private participation. As part of the initiative, owners of vacant land who provide parking spaces will receive a property tax waiver. Simultaneously, on-street parking will become more restrictive and expensive to discourage unauthorized parking.
Boost for Off-Street Parking
The policy is designed to leverage private land to address Bengaluru's chronic parking shortage. By offering a tax waiver, the authorities hope to incentivize landowners to convert vacant plots into paid parking lots. This move is expected to reduce congestion and illegal parking on main roads and residential streets.
According to a senior GBA official, the tax benefit will be proportional to the area provided for parking and the duration of availability. The exact waiver percentage is yet to be finalized, but it is intended to make the proposition attractive for property owners.
Restrictions on On-Street Parking
In parallel, the policy will impose stricter rules on on-street parking. Parking fees in high-demand areas are likely to increase significantly, and designated parking zones will be enforced more rigorously. The traffic police will deploy additional personnel and technology to monitor violations, with higher fines for offenders.
“We want to discourage people from parking on the streets, especially in congested areas. The new policy will make on-street parking expensive and limited, pushing motorists to use off-street facilities,” said a senior traffic police officer.
Implementation and Public Feedback
The GBA and traffic police are currently finalizing the policy details and plan to release a draft for public consultation within a month. The policy is expected to be rolled out in phases, starting with commercial hubs and high-traffic corridors. The authorities are also exploring partnerships with private operators to manage the off-street parking lots.
The initiative has received mixed reactions from residents and business owners. While some welcome the move to reduce street congestion, others worry about the increased cost of parking and the potential for misuse of the tax waiver scheme.
