Latest news with #TheBruhatBengaluruMahanagaraPalike
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Time of India
Without security, citizens wary about late evening walks in park
BBMP helpline BBMP parks lack adequate security for 10 pm opening; many dark spots will make them a haven for anti-social elements, raising safety concerns –Senior citizen The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has created a hotline for citizens to report if they are denied entry to BBMP parks during designated hours, between 5 am and 10 to the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Management Cell of the BBMP, this initiative follows numerous complaints from residents about parks being locked during official hours, restricting access to public spaces meant for recreation and address these concerns, the BBMP has set up multiple channels for lodging complaints. Citizens can reach out through theat 1533, send a WhatsApp message to 9480685700, or use the Sahaaya 2.0 mobile application. Email submissions are also accepted. Officials have encouraged complainants to include photographic evidence, when possible, to support their the move is aimed at enforcing standard park hours, it has raised fresh concerns among regular park users about safety during the late evening hours. Many believe that without sufficient security infrastructure, the parks could become vulnerable to misuse.'I live in Nagarbhavi and visit several BBMP parks in the area. None of them have adequate security arrangements to stay open until 10 pm. There are several dark patches that make these parks unsafe,' said a senior citizen.A regular visitor to Zen Park in the same area shared a similar sentiment. 'Zen Park is spread out over a large area but is manned by only one security guard. We've seen groups of men consuming alcohol inside. One guard alone cannot handle such issues,' the resident June last year, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced revised park timings across Bengaluru, directing that all parks remain open from 5 am to 10 reports indicate that many parks continued to operate on older schedules, prompting frustration among citizens and leading to the BBMP's recent the complaints, the Special Commissioner for Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Management appealed to the public last week to report any denial of entry at the city's 1,287 BBMP parks. A circular clearly stated that no BBMP park can refuse entry during the designated this directive, residents remain concerned about safety. They are demanding not just compliance, but improvements—such as more security personnel, better lighting, and CCTV installations.'Poor lighting increases safety risks. Parks in Koramangala have several dark spots that need urgent attention,' said Janet SK Yegneswaran, a senior security issues have also been raised by residents in Indiranagar and other parts of the city.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BBMP to issue notices to tax evading owners
BBMP self-declaration system The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike () is preparing to issue notices to over four lakh property owners who are suspected of evading property tax by furnishing incorrect details about their properties. This action follows a detailed analysis based on data from the Digitally Owned Number (DON) there being more than 20 lakh properties within BBMP limits, the civic body is currently collecting just under `5,000 crore annually in property tax—far below potential collections. Officials have observed that a significant number of property owners have exploited the, underreporting property size to reduce their tax official said, 'To counter this, BBMP's revenue department has now turned to data collected from the Drone survey and UPR (Urban Property Ownership Records), which cover details of around 15 lakh properties. In addition, BBMP has collected GPS-based photos and data for each property. These are being matched with ownership records and supporting documents, including those submitted for e-Khata registration, to identify discrepancies. If mismatches are found—such as undeclared floor space or incorrect height and number of floors—property owners will receive formal notices.'Source said that with a target of collecting `6,000 crore in property tax for the 2025-26 fiscal year, BBMP is offering a 5% rebate for those who pay their dues by May 31. From June onward, BBMP will begin issuing notices ward-wise to defaulters and long-term evaders. In extreme cases, officials said, properties may even be seized or official added, 'BBMP is also developing technology that will allow automatic issuance of notices via SMS to the registered mobile numbers of property owners who provided false information on the BBMP property tax portal. Officials confirmed to Kannada Prabha that around 4 lakh such cases have already been identified, and notices will be sent out shortly.'According to BBMP officials, the revenue department has so far identified four lakh properties with incorrect self-declarations. With more under scrutiny, BBMP anticipates recovering an additional `1,000 crore in property tax and penalties in the coming months. As of Sunday, BBMP has collected `2,036 crore in property tax. With just a few days left in May, the civic body is aiming to cross the `3,000 crore mark before the rebate window closes.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Bengaluru's commercial streets go pay & park way
Bengaluru now has 1.25 crore vehicles, with almost every person owning vehicle. However, parking facilities have not kept pace with this increase, leading to severe parking shortages –Official The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is planning to implement a pay-and-park system in the city's commercial areas. In the first phase, the system will be introduced on 14 streets, including prominent ones like MG Road, Brigade Road, and Commercial Street. The system will involve charging fees for parking on these roads, with the management being outsourced to a contractor. Following this, vehicle owners will be required to pay fees to park their vehicles on these streets. The new system is part of the city's 'Parking Policy 2.0', developed by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), which aims to extend the pay-and-park system across all city official said, 'As the city's population grows, so does the number of vehicles. Bengaluru now has 1.25 crore vehicles, with almost every person owning a vehicle. However, parking facilities have not kept pace with this increase, leading to severe parking shortages. New buildings are not being designed with adequate parking spaces, and many buildings do not offer parking spaces proportional to the number of units. As a result, vehicles are often parked on streets, exacerbating traffic congestion.'DULT estimates that providing parking for just 50% of the city's vehicles would require 13,000 acres of land. If the current rate of vehicle growth continues, Bengaluru will see four times the number of vehicles in the next decade, further straining the city's tackle this issue, DULT has introduced a comprehensive parking management plan, hoping to reduce private vehicle usage and encourage the use of public this plan has not yet been fully implemented. The city's traffic problems, especially in commercial districts, continue to worsen due to insufficient parking provisions. As part of the new initiative, commercial buildings are now required to have separate parking arrangements or reserve basement levels for parking. However, adherence to this regulation remains anticipates an annual revenue of ₹7 crore from the pay-and-park system in the first phase, with the scheme being implemented on 14 key commercial streets. Roads like Church Street, St Mark's Road, Museum Road, Lavelle Road, and Kasturba Road are already covered under this system. Private contractors have been given the task of managing these the new system, two-wheelers will be charged ₹15 per hour, and cars will be charged ₹30 per hour. However, the pricing has been criticised for being expensive. There is also a lack of clarity regarding how much will be charged for vehicles parked for more than an had previously contracted a private company, Central Parking Services, to implement a smart parking system on 85 commercial streets in the city centre. Although some roads saw the introduction of parking fees, the system was later suspended. The future of smart parking remains uncertain.
