The Indian Express                   04.04.2013

Multi-level parking lot at Sector 17 inches closer to becoming reality

The multi-level parking lot which was to come up in Sector 17 might finally see the light of day. A decision has been taken for giving environmental clearance to the project in a meeting held on Wednesday. Once the project is completed, it would be the first multi-level parking lot in the area.

The multi-level parking lot was proposed three years ago at the site of Gurdev parking lot. After the plans were prepared, these were changed as a three-level basement parking would have disturbed the foundation of the adjoining shops. Subsequently, the plan was revised and more distance kept between the shops and the parking lot.

Last year the plans got cleared. However as the tenders were to be allotted it came to light that environmental clearance would have to be sought. By that time the two committees that had to give clearance had completed their term. It was only when the new committees were notified that the MC could present its case. While one committee had cleared the proposal earlier, the second one also gave its approval.

An MC official who attended the meeting said that the committee has given its go-ahead, but a written order is awaited.

Once this is received the construction of the three-level parking lot could be started. The parking lot will be able to accommodate around 900 vehicles. With Sector 17 witnessing a huge rush of vehicles everyday, the parking lot is being constructed to decrease the chaos.

Little done by MC on paid parking

The Municipal Corporation continues to be slow on acting on its own proposals, despite the fact that the condition of parking in the city remains chaotic.

A decision was taken around six months ago to bring parking lots in some sectors under the purview of paid parking. However, apart from passing the buck on the issue, there has been little action that the concerned departments are taking.

In a meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee held in September last year, it was decided that parking lots in Sectors 9, 22 and 34 would be converted into paid parking lots. While some parking lots in these sectors are already under the purview of paid parking, the others were to be converted.

However, there is little that the civic body has done. Additional Commissioner Lalit Siwach says that reminders have been sent to the Engineering Department more than once.

"It is only when the Engineering Department readies the parking lots by demarcating slots that we can auction these to the contractors," said Siwach.

In Sector 22, it was near Shastri Market that the parking lot was to be brought under the purview of paid parking. In Sectors 9 and 34 a number of parking lots are already paid.

The areas that are remaining would be demarcated and entry and exit points identified before the parking lots can be created. These would then be auctioned and allotted to the contractors.

The civic body's proposals for parking have mostly failed to take off. Proposals for a number of multilevel parking lots are either been hanging fire or have been scrapped.

A proposal for a multilevel parking lot in Sector 17 is in arbitration.

The proposed multilevel parking lots in other sectors like Sector 34, 35 and 9 have failed to see the light of day. Another idea that was mooted was for making some parking lots fully automated. Even this is hanging fire with no action taken.