The PimpriChinchwad
Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has drawn up a plan to provide
park-and-ride facility in plots reserved in the development plan (DP).
Besides rail commuters, the parking spaces will also be beneficial for
commuters who will use BRT corridor between Dapodi and Nigdi. The Pimpri
Chinchwad New Township Development Authority has already developed a
lot near Akurdi railway station.

Additional municipal
commissioner Prakash Kadam said, that thousands of people use suburban
local trains between Pune-Lonavla every day for going to workplace,
schools and colleges.

“Public transport buses cannot reach
interior areas, so people have to use private vehicles to reach the
nearest railway station. This creates the need for having large parking
lots near railway stations. So, the PCMC
will acquire and develop plots to encourage people to use public
transport. This will reduce pollution and vehicular traffic on roads.”

The civic body recently surveyed areas around railway stations in
Pimpri Chinchwad and found that parking space around these four stations
was inadequate. The civic administration directed the town planning
department begin land acquisition. The engineering department will
develop the plots. Kadam said the four railway stations – Dapodi,
Kasarwadi, Pimpri and Chinchwad – are located along the Pune-Mumbai
highway.

The civic body plans to implement BRT on the highway corridor by December.

“If the parking lots are developed near stations, they will be useful
for bus commuters, who can park their vehicles and travel by bus or
train,” Kadam said.

Gulamali Bhaldar, executive president of
Chinchwad Pravasi Sangh, said, “Parking lots near railway stations are
inadequate because several travellers stay in the interiors and have to
reach the station by two-wheelers. So, considering the growth of
population in the next 30 years, the PCMC’s move is praiseworthy.”