What is the story about?
Bengaluru: In a major push to promote eco-friendly commuting and address last-mile connectivity issues, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)
has announced that there will be no charge for bicycle parking at a total of nine major stations throughout the city. As revealed in a recent tender issued for the operation of bicycle parking, this will create an incentive for the IT sector and daily commuters to replace their cars with bicycles by providing dedicated, free parking at these major stations as soon as the selection of a new operator is completed after the bid deadline of February 9, as reported by The Times of India.
BMRCL’s Green Push: Which Stations Are Included?
The BMRCL connectivity team has handpicked nine high-frequency stations for this pilot project. The selection spans across three major lines to ensure maximum reach:
- Purple Line: Mysuru Road and Byappanahalli.
- Green Line: Madawara, Peenya Industry, JP Nagar.
- Yellow Line: BTM Layout, Electronic City, Ragigudda, Jayadeva Hospital.
Parking Fees Now vs New Rules
At present, the cost of cycling in Bengaluru is relatively low. Currently, GMRCL charges Rs 1 every hour, with a maximum daily cap of Rs 10. According to BMRCL, the idea is to encourage the use of sustainable transport, and free of charge is a strong signal that mileage and emissions will be reduced greatly if more people use ride-sharing services. Officials added that this applies to only these nine stations, whereas the standard bicycle parking fee applies at all other locations (including these nine).
Cyclists Demand Better Infrastructure
While the move has been welcomed, popularly known as "Bicycle Mayor," Sathya Sankaran and other regular commuters have pointed out that "free" is only half the solution. Many cyclists argue that the real obstacle is not the fee, but the lack of safety. Experts are calling for:
- Dedicated Anchoring Points: Many stations currently lack simple bars or poles to lock cycles securely.
- Defined Spaces: Cyclists often face issues with being "shooed away" due to a lack of designated zones.
- Security: Improving basic infrastructure is seen as more critical than waiving the Rs 10 fee.
What Happens Next?
The BMRCL started accepting bids from interested parties regarding the operation and ongoing management of these parking facilities, with a bid submission deadline of February 9, 2026. The operator selected by BMRCL will then officially activate their complimentary parking policy at all approved covered car park locations once an operator has been identified.
