The Times of India         16.09.2014

Varachha flyover set to generate gardens, income

SURAT:
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) doesn’t have a pay and park facility
under the city’s longest flyover. This, when the civic body earns Rs 4
crore annually from its 28 parking set-ups, a majority of which are
under the bridges. The SMC officials are unable to explain this
dichotomy and why it took them so long to realize the revenue potential
of the 2.5-km-long Shreenathji flyover at Varachha.

“We have
been losing Rs 2 crore on an annual basis for not having a pay and park
facility under Shreenathji flyover. SMC has decided to develop the area
under the bridge on a public private participation (PPP) basis. The
private partner will operate and maintain the whole facility and
sponsors will be allowed to develop the underground area in a phase-wise
manner,” a SMC officer said.

A detailed plan has been worked
out for the beautification of Varachha flyover. It envisions development
of 77 gardens, 34 parking slots, 13 road crossings and a number of
fountains under the 100 spans of the bridge.

“The work would be
outsourced and it will be the responsibility of the private partner to
collect parking fees and to keep the area free from encroachments,” city
engineer Jatin Shah said.

Former deputy mayor Kumar Kanani,
who is now BJP MLA from Varachha, said, “SMC should hand over the area
for development to a private party.”

The SMC plans to give the
contract for the beautification project to a private party at the
earliest. The private party would develop and maintain the project and
share the revenue with the SMC, sources said.