Urban News

The site for the proposed parking lot is surrounded by buildings on all sides. The proposal entails that the multilevel parking lot would have a three-storeyed basement as well as a surface parking. The Architecture Department has asked for more space to be left between the buildings and the parking lot.

The contention is that with three-storeyed basement being made, the foundation of the buildings might get affected. Due to this a shift of an additional 10 feet from the buildings has been recommended. The Municipal Corporation would now prepare the revised plans. Another aspect to be kept in mind was that the earth should not cave in while digging so deep.

The feasibility study was earlier conducted by the Municipal Corporation. Thereafter the plan was submitted to the Architecture Department.

With the first multilevel parking lot to be constructed by the civic body not having started almost three years after it was approved, the aim now is to start construction of at least one multilevel parking lot. The parking lot was to be built on build operate transfer basis.

A total of four sites had been identified in Sector 17 where multilevel parking lots could be built. Of these, the House of the Municipal Corporation had approved one. It was decided that this parking lot would not be built on BOT basis. Rather the MC would construct it. After looking at the success of this, the others would be started. Multilevel parking lots had also been proposed in Industrial Area, Sector 34 as well as Sector 9. 

Chief Engineer S S Bidda said the plan for the multilevel parking lot would be revised and sent to the Administration for approval. With the number of vehicles increasing at a fast pace in the city, the parking spaces are shrinking. Chaos is witnessed in most markets and finding a space to park is an ordeal. With space for surface parking being limited, multilevel parking lots are one of the answers to the parking woes.

Apart from relaying the entire civic infrastructure — including construction of a main utility corridor to cater to services like water supply, sewerage network, electrical cabling and telephone lines — the civic agency also plans to construct a multi-level car parking facility. This is likely to come up on a 2,000-square metre plot on Prithviraj Road that belongs to the Department of Personnel and Training .

“For the entire Khan Market area, all utility services are located in the middle circle, which is already too clustered. Large-scale conversion and commercialisation, combined with massive increase in footfalls over the years has put a tremendous load on infrastructure. Even though the process of relaying the basic utilities is already underway, Khan Market is now being considered for complete redevelopment,” a senior official said.

Conversion of houses in the area into shops, cafes, restaurants and boutiques has resulted in more people using the infrastructure that initially cartered to families.

“The sewerage in this area was created for residences. The number of restaurants here and the overall appeal of Khan Market has always brought more footfalls to this market. But the conditions are chaotic, the sewers are choked. Even the NDMC is under tremendous pressure to sort out the issues before the system collapses,” said Sanjeev Mehra, president of the Khan Market Traders’ Association.

At present, the NDMC has taken up the development of the market place in three phases — the first phase gave it a boundary wall and the second phase brought about the relaying of roads and footpath. The third phase of development, at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore, will include ducting of cables and laying of sewerage network, which was supposed to be finished by January next year.

Now, the NDMC has larger plans for the market, and the civic agency is considering full redevelopment of the area. While a final decision is yet to be taken on this, senior officials said the multi-level car parking would come up soon. Apart from 150 shops, there are 74 flats on the top floors of the market, which have now been converted into food joints and other outlets. The market sees around 3,000 visitors on an average everyday.