The Hindu 21.01.2015
No takers for VMC’s parking lot plans
Private bidders decline to respond to as many as 3 tenders
There are close to four lakh vehicles in the city, and
each day nearly 150 new vehicles hit the road. With the rising vehicular
population, the demand for parking space is also going up.
Unfortunately, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation’s plans to open more
parking are yet to fructify.
At present, the VMC has
11 parking lots, and it has identified 12 locations for opening new
parking lots. Since June last year, the VMC has invited tenders thrice
for operating the lots, yet the bidders seem to be not interested in the
offer.
The new locations identified are near Raj
Towers close to the Congress office on Eluru Road, Liberty Hair Styles,
Swagruha Road, Sriram Chits office and A.V. Opticals. Depending on the
size and location, the tender bid amount ranges from Rs. 60, 000 to Rs.
11 lakh for each lot.
There are several reasons for
the poor response from bidders. Though the parking lots are planned in
prime locations, most bidders are apprehensive about their success, as
many vehicle owners in the city still do not park their vehicles in
lots, says a senior VMC official.
“Unless the Traffic
Police enforce parking rules strictly, parking lots will not serve any
purpose. Perhaps, this is the reason why most bidders are apprehensive
about operating the lots,” he adds.
The VMC operates
three lots on its own, but things did not materialise as expected,
thanks to staff crunch. Parking lots are operated from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
and to operate one lot, at least three persons are required. “Moreover,
they need to work in shifts, and utilising their services for operating
the lots is not financially feasible, as the income generated by the
lots is not enough to pay staff. That is the reason why private bidders
are invited to operate the lots,” he says.