The Indian Express 10.04.2013
Land too costly, multi-level parking facility scrapped for Khan Market
Visitors and shopkeepers will have to wait some more for parking
space in Khan Market as New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has now
decided against building an automated multilevel parking lot. The
decision has been taken after considering that the two multi-level
parking lots are not getting a good response from visitors.
An official said earlier that the project was to make multi-level
automated parking, which was rejected unanimously. The official said
NDMC is trying to acquire land at a cheaper rate from the Land and
Development Office (L&DO).
“We will not make an automated multi-level parking lot because
then we will have to give commercial space to a private concessionaire
and the cost of acquiring land is too steep. We want to make surface
parking space available at Khan Market. This will depend on the
financial viability of the project,” the official said.
Sources in the council said officials are working hard to get
land at a cheaper rate from L&DO. As the parking lot is for public
welfare officials believe that they should get land at a nominal price.
“We have to construct the parking lot ourselves, at a cost of
crores of rupees. We can make a surface parking lot with minimal cost,
but an automated multi-level parking lot will not be made,” the official
said.
Last year, council officials held a meeting with market
association members and it was claimed that Khan Market would get
multi-level parking as soon as the L&DO transfers land to NDMC. The
council had even finished clearing illegal encroachments that were
delaying the project. The traders’ association of Khan Market has been
demanding parking space for a long time. As of now, parking is free at
Khan Market, but there is a shortage of parking space, which causes
congestion.
