BBMP’s solution for traffic jams: Ban malls

The lesser malls, the better it would be for Bangalore’s traffic. Find that amusing? Well, that’s exactly how Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is going to solve traffic pile-ups. In fact, the civic agency is seriously thinking about banning new malls.

“It has been observed that every new mall coming up in the city is creating traffic chaos like never before. The recent one is in Malleswaram   because of which the traffic management has gone into a tizzy there,” said a senior BBMP official.

BBMP mayor SK Nataraj on Friday stressed on the urgency to curtail the growth of malls. “We are writing letters to all the existing malls to provide details on their parking facilities and the number of vehicles that can be accommodated there. We are planning to bring in a regulation related to the growth of new malls in the city,” he said.

BBMP officials said the main problem with malls is their neglect of providing adequate parking space. As a result, customers park their vehicles on the roads next to the malls, narrowing them.
Mayor Nataraj said that though no concrete decision has been taken on this issue, discussions are on with all the stakeholders after which a final decision would be taken.

Sources in BBMP said the mayor would also be verifying whether the malls are providing parking spaces according to the actual plan, or whether this has been violated by any of the malls.

The BBMP engineer concerned will be held responsible if any mall in his respective jurisdiction has violated the rules.