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Urban Transportation

One smart card for all parking lots

Monday, 30 July 2012 11:12 administrator
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The Indian Express      30.07.2012

One smart card for all parking lots

The three municipal corporations in the Capital have considered implementing the Urban Development ministry’s suggestion for a common pre-paid parking card valid across the city.

The proposal for a common card, on the lines of the Metro Smart Card, comes in the wake of numerous complaints about parking contractors duping and overcharging people.

People will be able to use the proposed “smart mobility card” at street parking lots and automated underground multi-level car parking stations of North, South and East municipal corporations.

“The existing parking contracts at most of the sites are about to expire in a couple of months. Fresh tenders will be issued for these. Hopefully, the proposal for a common parking card will be passed by the time the parking contracts are renewed or issued afresh (depending on who wins the contracts),” a senior civic official said.

The corporations have planned to set up kiosks at shopping complexes and general stores, where people can recharge their cards.The common card is part of the civic agencies’ attempt to streamline and revamp the city’s parking policies. “The idea is to put an end to contractors deceiving people by charging them more than the stipulated amount. The card will also help augment the civic agencies’ revenue,” the official said.

Sources said the Urban Development ministry had proposed that the smart card could be introduced initially for DTC buses and eventually taken to the parking lots, including those at shopping complexes and malls.

Officials said the civic administration has planned to restrict the card for use at parking sites only.Explaining how it will work, a civic official said: “The card can be obtained by paying a stipulated fee. People will have to swipe the cards at a machine fixed at entry and exit points of parking lots.”

“Based on the occupancy at parking lots in different zones, the three corporations will share the money generated. Moreover, the agencies will get a share amount from every recharge of these cards, based on the ratio of parking sites within the ambit of each corporation,” the official said.

“Though the idea sounds simple, implementation will be complicated. It will require a lot of math to calculate the exact share of each corporation based on the usage of their parking sites,” he said.

“The civic agencies will have to set up a ‘clearance’ department to minimise transaction glitches. As multiple players will be involved in the process, it will be a challenging task. At present, a committee of officials from the three civic agencies is poring over the various aspects of the smart card,” the official said.

Together, the North and South corporations have 339 street parking sites. The East corporation recently invited bids for around 70 on such sites, while the South agency has planned to operate six automated facilities.

 

Government to study efficiency of city buses

Saturday, 28 July 2012 09:21 administrator
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The Times of India    28.07.2012

Government to study efficiency of city buses

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to conduct an 'impact assessment study' of the city bus services in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri. The Centre has granted Rs 4.85 lakh to the state under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme for the study.

The state housing and urban development department (H&UD) will depute an independent agency to find out if the city bus service is a success. "The agency will be selected through a transparent process, for which a request for proposal (RFP) will be prepared," said a senior H&UD officer.

"The assessor will take into account the opinions of all stakeholders, including passengers, bus staff and police on how the service is functioning," said Nishikant Mishra, chairman of Dream Team Sahara (DTS), operator of the city bus service.

"DTS had earlier conducted a survey and collected the feedback of passengers. Some passengers demanded installation of AC in buses. Others demanded proper bus bays and route charts for their convenience," Mishra said.

A total of 105 buses ply in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri. Though the city bus service was launched here on October 10, 2010, requisite infrastructure continues to elude the bus operator and passengers.

Proposed originating and departure terminal and bus bays are yet to come up in the cities.Though review meetings are being held at regular intervals and promises were made to provide necessary logistical support for smooth running of the bus service, nothing tangible has happened so far."We have set deadlines for completion of the depot in Pokhariput area and originating-departure terminals at other places," H&UD secretary Injeti Srinivas had told TOI earlier.

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 July 2012 09:23
 

Parking woes continue

Thursday, 26 July 2012 07:51 administrator
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The Hindu    25.07.2012

Parking woes continue

 Who cares?:Buses of a corporate school parked on the Lakshmipuram main road turn out to be a bottleneck in the smooth flow of traffic in Guntur. —Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar Who cares?:Buses of a corporate school parked on the Lakshmipuram main road turn out to be a bottleneck in the smooth flow of traffic in Guntur. —Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar
 
If commuters in Guntur dread driving on the narrow and pot-holed roads, the thought of parking is becoming a nightmare. Park your vehicle in front of a bank, school or a restaurant, chances are most likely that the vehicle would be lifted and taken to the traffic police station.

The cops come without warning and pick the vehicle and mount it on the van. The vehicles are paraded on the main roads before dumped in the traffic police station.

The police do not give any tags for violation of parking, which itself is a compoundable offence. According to the law, an officer of the rank of inspector has the power to issue tickets/tags. But here, a constable is enough to humiliate you and summon your vehicle to the station. The tag is then issued at the traffic police station by the inspector.

The cup of woes for the hapless man on the street is complete when he pays a penalty and collects his vehicle, often in a damaged condition.

Worse, the traffic cops pat their backs claiming that the enforcement drive against illegal parking is working wonders. The commuter breaks his back in retrieving his vehicle.

But there is also another side to the coin. Those driving along the Lakshmipuram Road would find that the road is being blatantly used as a parking bay by educational institutions. Buses of a corporate Intermediate college are parked throughout the day, eating into the road space and becoming a bottleneck in ensuring a smooth flow of traffic.

The traffic police, however, turn a blind eye to this violation for obvious reasons, but heap misery on the common man.Senior officers, who chant the EEE (Education, Engineering and Enforcement) mantra at traffic awareness meet, should now look more carefully at the Engineering part.

The Guntur Municipal Corporation should be made to create parking spaces in places earmarked on the main roads. Construction of multi-level complexes in commercial areas should be taken up on priority basis. Staggered parking on the main roads should be allowed. For instance, parking could be allowed during hours when the flow of traffic is relatively thin.

 
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