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Parking still caught in a jam
June 9, 2007
MCD Now Studying Which Sites Suited for Automated
Lots.
The much-hyped Delhi automated multi-level
parking plan, in the air since four years now, has hit yet
another roadblock. The MCD is now studying feasibility of all the
multi-level parking plans to determine which sites are suited for
automated, semi-automated or manual parking.
According to the MCD sources, Shastri Park and Qutab multi-level parking will now not be automated but will have a three-storeyed under group ramp level parking instead.
Around 19 of these multi-level car parkings were planned all over the city and all of them will be studied again by the civic agency. According to sources, the MCD had earlier not looked into the feasibility of the plans or studied the drawbacks of having an automatic system of parking and these changes are necessary to ensure maximum utilization of this facility.
Said an MCD official: "The reason for this sudden change in plan is that automated parking is likely to cause more traffic jams as it takes around three minutes for each car to be parked under this system. Moreover, the cost of construction of ramp-level parking is one-third of that of automatic and its maintenance cost is also very low as it is not power based like the automatic system."
According to sources, the cost of land will also be saved in manual parking as they will make it under exiting roads. Added the official: "We have around 8,000 square metre of land for the Qutab Road multi-level parking at present and there are another 6,000 square metres right next to it, which has a horse carriage stand. We will move that stand and are also planning to acquire more land from the railways."
The civic agency has also decided not to make the multi-level parking on BOT basis as was planned earlier. Instead, they will make the parking themselves and the commercial areas planned by them will be leased out. While the civic agency had already is sued an expression of interest for these project, they are now making plans to float a global tender for this project.
The Qutab Road was visited by chairman standing committee Vijender Guipta along with other officials on Thursday. Gupta said: "We have decided to make a ramp-level parking in Qutab as the automated parking is likely to consume more time with regard to parking of each care especially during peak office hours, which will defeat the entire purpose of multi-level parking. We will also revisit all the other sites to see if we can acquire additional land nearby which is needed to make ramp level parking. Parking will be our top priority." A meeting regarding this issue is supposed to take place on Saturday.
Some of the high profile areas where multi-level parking is planned are South Extension I and II, Lajpat Nagar GK-I and II, Hamilton Road and Kalma Nagar.
Source: TNN |
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