Urban News

In May this year, the auction of parking lots had been at a price much higher than the reserve price. However, today’s auction saw the prices being near the reserve price. The parking lot in Sector 35C that fetched Rs 61 lakh had a reserve price of Rs 60.75 lakh. That at Sahib Singh & Sons was auctioned at Rs 38.26 lakh against a reserve price of Rs 37.35 lakh.

The parking lot near Empire Stores, Sector 17, fetched Rs 31.25 lakh, Sector 8 Zone I Rs 30.11 lakh and Sector 35B at Rs 19.05 lakh. The idle truck parking in Sector 26 was auctioned for Rs 52 lakh against a reserve price of Rs 46.31 lakh. Eight of the parking lots that were auctioned today would be semi-automated. These include four in Sector 17 and two each in Sectors 22 and 35.

While the civic body had earlier decided that one of the parking lots would be fully automated, the proposal has been dropped. Parking lots at certain locations could not be auctioned as only single bidders came forward. These include the parking lot at Sector 34 and another at Fun Republic, Manimajra. No bids were received for the Tourist Bus Parking at Manimajra.  The Municipal Corporation has been able to auction the parking lot at the District Courts after the reserve price was reduced. There had been no takers for this parking lot in the past two auctions.

In the past few months, many contractors had given up the parking lots stating that they were finding it unfeasible to manage these. One of the reasons was the high prices at which these had been taken in the auctions. The last auctions scheduled had been boycotted by contractors as they wanted the Municipal Corporation to install the equipment for automation and semi-automation, a demand that the MC has agreed to. The auction was held under the chairmanship of Additional Commissioner TPS Phoolka, in the presence of Councillor Pardeep Chhabra and concerned officials.