The Hindu   26.12.2011

MCD underground parking foundation laid

Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi on Sunday laid the foundation of a three-storey underground parking at New Friends Colony which will be able to accommodate over 500 cars at a time.

She said the work on the multi-level underground parking, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs.40 crore, has already begun and the project will be completed by September 30. The Mayor added that the underground parking will be spread over 12,089 sq. mt. and a green cover or park will be provided over it.

Completion on time

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who was present at the event, said: “The problem of parking is emerging as a great challenge in Delhi, the solution for which lies in the vision and commitment of the Governments. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the past almost five years has worked hard to provide systematic and spacious parking spaces across the city.”

Ms. Abbi said she expected construction work to be completed on time.

“The rise in number of vehicles has increased parking problem in the city. However, the MCD is working hard in this regard. This multi-level parking at New Friends Colony is an effort to ease out the pressure of parking from an area which has two big hospitals and a hotel in its vicinity.”

MCD Standing Committee chairman Yogendra Chandolia said the project will be a “milestone for the civic body”.

Mentioning the proposed trifurcation of the civic body, MCD Works Committee chairman Jagdish Mamgain said the MCD had not introduced any new taxes in the past five years, but with the proposal of three corporations, “there are chances that new taxes would be introduced. Even then, citizens would be devoid of many facilities as the revenue through these tax collections would not be enough in the wake of three-fold rise in expenditure of the three corporations.”