Bengaluru has restarted paid parking on 52 major roads since October 2025. Anish, a private company employee, now spends an extra ₹1,800 monthly to park his two-wheeler on M.G. Road. The move aims to control traffic and create revenue for new city corporations. The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) identified 52 roads out of 291 free parking stretches for paid parking under a pilot project. If successful, paid parking could expand citywide by April 2026. Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said factors like traffic flow and space were considered before selecting roads. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has floated tenders under the Parking Policy 2.0. Civic groups support the policy. R. Rajagopal from Bengaluru Coalition said, “We have enjoyed free parking for all these years, which was a missed opportunity for the corporation to generate revenue.” Besides paid parking, the BTP is resuming towing in busy areas for illegally parked vehicles. Towing and fines will work together, but enforcement challenges remain due to limited clamping and lack of residential parking rules. Two-wheelers pay ₹15 per hour and four-wheelers ₹30 per hour, though some experts suggest lowering fees in busy zones like ITPL and M.G. Road to encourage use of designated parking. Public transport users like Navya R. benefit from savings but face longer travel and poor last-mile connectivity. Experts stress that paid parking alone won’t reduce congestion without better public transport and enforcement. The parking policy requires funds collected to improve pedestrian safety, footpaths, public transport, and awareness, but city corporations have yet to finalize plans for using this revenue. Overall, paid parking in Bengaluru marks a fresh attempt to regulate street parking, ease traffic jams, and generate income, even as challenges persist in enforcement and transport infrastructure.