Bangalore, June 18;A complaint has been filed against Mallya Hospital, situated in the heart of the city, for misusing its basement, meant to be reserved for parking, by running a cafeteria and other stores.
The absence of parking space on the multistorey hospital premises has forced patients and visitors to park their vehicles on the arterial Vittal Mallya Road, leading to traffic congestion, prompting the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) to take up a case for violation of sanctioned building plan.
T. Narasimha Murthy, a social activist who obtained the details of the violation through Right to Information (RTI), filed a complaint with BMTF on June 10.
In his complaint, Mr. Murthy said the hospital plan, sanctioned by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), specified that the basement was meant for parking four-wheelers.
But, this was blatantly violated by the construction of a cafeteria, medical stores and other shops, forcing vehicles to be parked on the main road, inconveniencing commuters.
While the traffic police was cracking the whip and booking cases against business centres, commercial complexes and schools for encroachment of footpaths, they had turned a blind eye to the hospital’s transgressions, he said.
“I had filed a complaint with the jurisdictional Ulsoor Gate traffic police about the problem last month. Though they cleared the parking the same day, things returned to usual from the next day. The traffic police response was only temporary,” Mr. Murthy said.
Parking at stadium
A few years ago, Mallya Hospital obtained permission from the management committee of Sri Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, situated opposite the hospital, to permit vehicles to park on the stadium premises. However, the permission was withdrawn after a group of sports lovers objected to it.
Hospital president Commodore Indru Wadhwani refuted the charges and contended that there was no violation in the building plan.
The hospital had replied to the notice stating that the parking space was intact and shops were constructed next to it, as specified in the plan.
Nod for 15 cars
The Ulsoor Gate police said they had given permission for just 15 cars to be parked on the road. They refused to comment on the alleged violation of the building plan, saying it was not under their purview.
“We have issued permission on a temporary basis for parking of 15 cars on the roadside, keeping in mind the [convenience] of patients and visitors. We have even sent notification to the government seeking a permanent parking slot for the hospital on the roadside, which is pending approval,” a police official said.
Though the traffic police were getting strict about footpath encroachments, he admitted that hospitals across the city were given some leeway.
