Tech employees commuting to offices along Bengaluru’s congested Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor may soon have to pay for parking inside office campuses if a proposal discussed by the Bengaluru Traffic Police moves forward.
The proposal reportedly emerged during a stakeholder meeting involving traffic police, civic agencies, tech park representatives, and the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA).
Free parking blamed for rising traffic
Officials believe free parking inside major tech parks is encouraging more employees to use private vehicles instead of public transport or shared commuting options.
The ORR corridor, which includes major campuses such as Ecospace and Ecoworld, witnesses nearly 8 to 10 lakh commuters daily, with many cars reportedly carrying only one passenger.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. N. Anucheth reportedly said that introducing parking charges could discourage unnecessary private vehicle usage.
Carpooling and BMTC incentives discussed
Authorities are also exploring ways to encourage carpooling, BMTC usage, and shuttle-based transport systems inside tech parks.
One proposal reportedly involves using parking fee collections to subsidise BMTC travel or provide incentives for employees using public transport.
Traffic police also suggested staggered office timings, shared campus transport systems, and monthly “car-free days” to reduce peak-hour congestion.
Tech industry seeks better public transport first
While supporting efforts to reduce traffic, ORRCA reportedly argued that Bengaluru’s public transport infrastructure and last-mile connectivity must improve before imposing parking costs on employees.
Industry representatives pointed out that many commuters rely on private vehicles because of inadequate BMTC connectivity, long walking distances, and limited feeder services around tech parks.
Officials are yet to announce any final decision, pricing structure, or implementation timeline for the proposed paid parking system.