By Aratrika Dey & Qamar ZJ
The next time you park your vehicle on the footpath, the Bengaluru Traffic Police will fine you Rs 1000 for encroaching pedestrian territory. This fine applies to the riders of two-wheelers and drivers of four-wheelers as there is no differential pricing. Before 2019, the fee stood at Rs 100, but it has been increased to deter frequent offenders after a proposal was made two years ago. The number of people being booked for footpath parking has gone up marginally in the last three years, indicating that the cops are lax in implementing this rule so far. In 2018, 33468 people were booked for footpath parking compared to 42567 in 2019 and 45455 in 2020, according to statistics from Bengaluru Traffic Police.
Repeated complaints from citizens
Footpath encroachment is an issue that has become a persistent headache for every Bengalurean. Although the fine of Rs 1000 was fixed in September 2019, the implementation of the rule has been lax by the traffic department. Previously, people took to their social media to share their opinions and drew attention to the problem. As many netizens have pointed out, parking on footpaths makes it difficult for pedestrians to walk, leading to many accidents.
Some people are wondering if there are exceptions for customers and employees parking in front of business establishments, such as pubs, offices, and showrooms. But the fact remains that footpaths are not meant for parking. The pavements are meant for the sole use of pedestrians. So if the residents complain, the cops are supposed to take action and fine the offenders. Shilpa Rao is all for the new rule: “Hopefully, we see fines being levied wherever you see footpath parking and not just lie in the rule book!” Kini is just as happy with the latest move by the traffic police: “Teach a lesson and punish the habituals.”
Not everyone is happy with the action
Some netizens have tweeted their discontent over the stiff fine. Humayun Khan says that one solution to footpath encroachment would be to build parking lots at regular intervals: “In every 10-kilometer radius, there should be a multi-storied building where citizens can park their bikes and cars for a fee.”
Other offenses
The most number of cases booked in Bengaluru happened to be of helmetless riding (31 lakh in 2020), distantly followed by jumping traffic signals (8.9 lakh in 2020), entering ‘no entry’ zones (3.5 lakh in 2020), not wearing safety belts (3.08 lakh in 2020), and using mobile phones while driving (2.23 lakh in 2020), among other offenses. However, the total number of cases have remained around the same in the last three years: 82.7 lakh (2018), 79.2 lakh (2019) and 83.8 lakh (2020).
Stats: Bengaluru Traffic Police
Pics courtesy: Namma Bengaluroo
