Central
area of a city is normally the central part of the city. Bangalore is with radial pattern of roads. The
highways from all directions meet at the centre creating potential for
development. Commercial activities come
up in this area. As the city grows, the
central area also expands. But, in
special cases like; Delhi and Bangalore, they were twin cities. In Delhi, the Old Delhi and New Delhi with
separate local bodies. In Bangalore, Bangalore City, and Bangalore Cantonment
with separate local bodies. In such
cases two central areas develop. But,
the central areas of the old portion of the city will have established main central
area activities. In Bangalore, it is the
city central area.
The
city central area is City Market, Mysore Road, and Narasimharaja Road on the
south, Kempe Gowda Road on the north, J.C. Road on the east, and Good Shed Road
on the West.
The
central area of the old portion of the city will have established main central
area activities. In Bangalore, it is the city central area. In the
central area, which is developed long back, the main commercial activities,
including the City Market are located.
The activities found in the central area are cheap hotels, shops dealing
with wholesale grains and vegetables, provision stores, consumer goods,
electrical shops, building material and hardware, costlier dresses for
marriages and related functions, jewellery, tailors, goldsmiths, medical
stores, doctors clinics, offices of advocates, servicing and repairs to
furniture, vehicles, cycles and two wheelers, weavers, handicraft, vehicle parts,
furniture, pavement hawkers, pavement dwellers, pucca slums, etc.
Different
parts of the old city central area are called ‘petes’ according to the
concentration of business / professions /communities. Weavers are in Cubbon
Pete area, grains in Mandi Pete, ladies bangles and cosmetics in Bale Pete, Chikka
Pete, Akki Pete, Kumbar Pete, Thigalara Pete, etc. In north India also such names are observed in old parts of
central area as ‘ bazars’.
Cinema
theatres were located for entertainment along the roads on the peripheries of
the central area. A few of them were inside the central area. The names of theatres
are /were; S.L.N. Theatre near City Market, theatre in Vokkaligara Sangha area
which was a stone building of heritage value , Naaz Theatre and City Theatre on
Narasimharaja Road(N.R.Road), Minerva Theatre, , Bharat Talkies, and Shivaji
Theatre on J.C.Road, Pallavi Theatre on Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road, Sharada
Talkies, opposite to BBMP head office, States Theatre, Kalpana Theatre, Alankar
Theatre and Geetha Theatre on Kempe Gowda Road, Tribhuvan Theatre, Sangam
Theatre, Movieland Theatre, Kapali Theatre, Majestic Theatre on Bale Pet Main
Road, Vijaya Lakshmi Theatre on Chikka Pete Main Road, and Super Talkies on
Cotton Pete Main Road. After introduction of television and increase in land
values, several cinema theatres were
demolished and shopping complexes were built for more returns.
Roads
in the Central area are very narrow with irregular pattern.It is difficult for bigger vehicles and buses
to move about on these roads. Bus stand,
moffusil as well as city buses will be on the outskirts of the central area,
which are later shifted to a bigger area near the main city railway station.
The buildings in the central area are mostly old structures not conforming to any
building bye-laws. In these buildings, tenants are occupying who are reluctant
to vacate to put up a new building. The
building density with mostly low-rise structures (ground and first) is high
without set backs, with poor ventilation,
and lack of privacy.
Acute
traffic congestion conditions exist with pedestrians, cycles earlier and two
wheelers nowadays, with irregular parking on the narrow roads and foot paths.
These vehicles are that of shop owners and their customers. Serious parking
problems make it difficult for shoppers and customers to visit the activities
in the central area. Nowadays, shoppers avoid taking their vehicles and use
auto-rickshaws to reach the wider roads around the central area. Auto-rickshaws
are banned in the central area.
Civic
amenities provided long back like; schools both public and private, police station,
BBMP branch offices, temples, mosques, churches, maternity homes, post offices,
banks, transport booking offices, etc are located earlier serving the citizens. These amenities continue at present also with
lesser activities.
In
the master plans of the city, proposals were made to improve the central area
for better circulation, organised land use, etc. But, nothing is possible with lack of urban
governance including collusion officials of civic agencies with property
owners. In these master plans, to prevent further congestion in the old parts
of central area, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) allowed was less. In the master plans
of Bangalore-1984 and 1995, FAR permissible for the central area was only 0.75
up to road width of 20 feet wide, and maximum of 1.50 for roads 50 feet and
above. But, in the Master Plan -2015,FAR of 2.50 was allowed for all sites
without considering road width. This was a bad proposal of Master Plan-2015
which will create more congestion in the already congested area with lanes and
roads mostly 8 feet to 12 feet width.
One
improvement carried out earlier by the City Corporation was widening of B.V.K. Iyengar Road to 60 feet width
connecting Kempe Gowda Road to Mysore
Road towards the West of City Market. This road widening improved the approach
to the central area from north to south.
The
other improvement carried out by the City Corporation is the construction of
modern City Market building inside the premises of the market behind the two
floor ( ground and first) front old market building which is a heritage
building with a clock tower.
Suggestions :
The
three north –south roads in this central area are; Avenue Road, Cotton Pete
Road, and the earlier widened B.V.K. Iyengar Road. Avenue Road which is narrow
and highly congested is one way from south to north. Cotton Pete
Main Road which is one way from north to south is narrow up to Super Talkies
Road and carries heavy moffusil
K.S.R.T.C. buses towards Mysore and places beyond.
1.A
new North-South road is to be formed like B.V.K Iyengar Road in between Avenue
Road and J.C. Road from Kempe Gowda Road to Narasimha Raja Road utilising the
back yards of old buildings in Cubbonpet and areas to its South. This will enable relief to J.C. Road and
Avenue Road. This proposal may be
considered very important and implemented by adopting T.D.R Scheme or paying
the present land value.
2.One
wider East-West Road is required as there are no east-west roads connecting
J.C. Road to B.V.K. Iyengar Road. The
road suggested is widening of Sadar Patrappa Road from BBMP Head Office to
Avenue Road and continued along Chikka Pete Main Road up to B.V.K. Iyengar
Road. This road, if widened / continued
will provide approach to the major
commercial major activities in the City Central Area. This road suggested for widening and continuation
may be implemented immediately adopting T.D.R. Scheme or by paying present land
values.
3.Building
limes may be fixed on all traffic moving roads in the City Central Area and
enforced to provide better circulation
4.solve
the acute parking problems, multi-Level parking complexes may be allowed to the
private sector by incentives. Sites for this purpose may be selected on
reasonably wider roads in the central area by utilizing vacant areas of public
premises and spots with old structures.
In all new buildings to be sanctioned, parking spaces has to be insisted
strictly. Parking spaces converted /violated in the buildings may be restored
for parking.
5.In
the new Master Plan – 2031 under preparation
by BDA, lower F.A.R. may be fixed as in
the Master Plans of 1984 and 1995. Extra
space built exceeding the space sanctioned may be mercilessly removed in the interest of
curbing further congestion in the central area.
6.
Spaces may be created by acquiring group of old low built .Lung structures for the benefit of merchants
families who live in the back portions / upper floors / near their shops. This is in the interest of improving living
conditions in the City Central Area.
If
any action by BBMP / private is done which will create further congestion in
the central area, agitation may be launched by
the citizens and the media.
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