Bangaloreans, how often has it happened to you that after being stuck in killing traffic jams for hours you have been unable to find a decent parking spot? Well, women drivers worry no more! You now have the privilege to park your four-wheelers in slots reserved exclusively for you on Brigade Road.
Mayor Sampath Raj and Shantinagar MLA N A Haris inaugurated the reserved section of the automated pay-and-park facility on Sunday. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), in association with the Brigade’s Shops and Establishments’ Association (BSEA), have taken this initiative.
According to the BBMP statement, they aim to reserve 20% of the slots for women. To make it more interesting in the first phase, 10 of the total 85 parking slots have been set aside for them.
"I come to Brigade Road area often with my kids, and it's very hard to find parking slot. Sometimes, we have to park 1-2km away, and then walk back to the car once we are done. With this, this last mile of travel has been eliminated, ensuring our safety," said Vidya R L, the first lady seizing the facility, TOI reported.
"As of now, 15% of the slots have been reserved on the MG Road side of the stretch. In a phased manner, and based on the response, we will reserve slots on the other end as well. Apart from a security guard, cameras have been installed here to ensure safety. This is the first road in the country to have reserved parking slots for women," Suhail Yusuff, Secretary of the Brigade Shops and Establishments Association, said.
But that’s not all. The BBMP has plans for the disabled too. "In many areas, women have to park cars in deserted stretches, and then walk from there, which can be unsafe. This new system will help make the process safer. We will also implement this 20% reservation for women, and a percentage for the disabled, in BBMP's parking facilities in other parts of the city," said the mayor.
SheThePeople.TV asked women around the city and received a fair lot of positive response.
“Not most dynamic cities share the ability to actually care about the half population. The rapid growth and strengthened number of unsafe activities show us how badly women in Bangalore need those extra facilities. In the world’s fastest changing city, we are glad to have a support from authority,” said 25-year-old techie, Zara Ikhtiyar.
“I think Bangalore undoubtedly deserves a separate parking space for women. This city invites people from all over the world and only office goers know how hard it is to find a parking spot. So, I say cheers to the new move,” says Rohina Krishnamurthy who comes here often.
On the other hand, Amrita Singh is quite surprised to hear the news and says, “Bangalore is known as the IT hub for sure, this report is beyond joy. I have been living in between Bangalore’s crazy traffic and have seen people acting murderously for a small parking space. Knowing that there’s an exclusivity for us now, I wouldn’t mind living in this city for another 5 years or so.”
READ: How unsafe is Bangalore for women?
ALSO READ: Know Your Rights: 8 Laws All Women Should Know
Feature image credit: BBC
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