Indian Express 03.03.2010
Parking woes: civic body eyes space under parks
Ajay Khape Tags : corporation, parking Posted: Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010 at 0408 hrs
Pune :To address the growing need of parking space in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning to access basements of gardens and parks across the city.
In a bid to make this project financially viable, the civic body has mooted that part of this freshly created space be made available for shops as well. In a proposal tabled in the city improvement committee on Tuesday, Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade sought to amend the development control rules of the civic body and include the provision of parking in the basement of public utility space.
“The number of vehicles in the city has been increasing and parking problems are intensifying. The lack of sufficient parking space has led to parking alongside roads and in turn reducing the carriage width of roads,” said Zagade in his proposal.
The PMC has made reservation for garden, parks, playground in its jurisdiction and those visiting the public places have been parking their vehicles on adjoining roads. “There is need for reserved area for parking vehicles of people visiting gardens and parks. So there is need of underground parking without changing the reservation of plots for gardens and parks,” Zagade said.
Putting forward the proposal, Zagade has cited the fact that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has made relevant changes in its DC rules and given permission for such projects. The Thane Municipal Corporation too has started planning for underground parking at public places. “The civic body should allow amendment in clause 37 (1) of MRTP Act, 1966,” the civic chief said in his proposal.
The PMC garden department has expressed its reservations though. “It is impossible to develop a garden or a park above the concrete basement. There is need to increase the green belt in the city and not to reduce it by taking up projects that will hamper the existing green cover,” said PMC garden chief Bhanudas Mane in response to the proposal.
The civic body said since the project is to be executed on public-private partnership, there has to be a provision of using the basement for commercial purpose. The PMC does not want this parking in Saras Baug, Peshwe Park, Sambhaji Park, Sanas Ground and Kamla Nehru Garden.
