Parking spaces shrink as vehicle population grows

There are 22 paid parking lots in the city and the capacity of each lot varies from 150 to 400 cars. The number of free parking lots is more than twice this number. While proposals have been floated time and again for conversion of some free parking lots into paid ones,these have not been able to take off.

Community parking

Councillors have been asked to identify vacant spaces in their wards that can be converted into community parking lots in the residential areas. The pilot project of the civic body to start community parking lot in Sector 19 is finally under way.

In the residential areas,vehicles can be seen parked on both sides of the roads,particularly in the morning and evening hours. In multi-storey houses,the problem is more acute with the family on every floor possessing more than one vehicle. This causes shortage of space for parking within the house. Consequently,vehicles are parked haphazardly along the road leaving little space for any vehicle to pass. At places,parks are converted into parking lots at night.

The councillors will now identify vacant spaces where parking lots will be constructed. According to the proposal,residents of the area can hire a watchman to take care of the vehicles. The councillors of some areas had identified vacant spaces for the purpose earlier too,but these had not been given approval from the office of the UT chief architect.

Parking in commercial areas

Visiting market in any sector can be a harrowing task for the residents. Whether it is the paid parking lots or the free ones,there is barely any space to park vehicles. The result is chaos,with the entire area choc a bloc with haphazardly parked vehicles.

The proposal of the MC to construct a multi-level parking lot in Sector 17 has been in limbo with the matter going in for arbitration.

While an alternate site has been identified at Gurdev parking lot in Sector 17 for construction of the multi-level parking lot with a capacity of 1,500 cars,the MC is likely to look into the feasibility of constructing another such lot in Sector 34. The UT Administration is also looking at a proposal for multilevel parking lot near ISBT-43.

Mayor Ravinder Pal Singh Pali says measures would be taken to find solutions for the parking woes of residents. “I have written to the councillors to identify vacant spaces in their wards to ensure better parking facilities in the residential areas. Multi-level parking lots will solve the problems in commercial areas. Construction of a multi-level parking lot in Sector 34 will ease the rush in Sector 35 too. It is up to the chief architect to give the final clearance. We will ask the public to give suggestions on the issue. The matter will be taken up in the Finance and Contract Committee meeting,” he adds.

Plan mulls vehicle-free zones

The master plan that is currently being prepared has included the concept of vehicle-free zones. It is being proposed that parking lots be made at four corners of a sector and people be asked to park the vehicles there. No one will be allowed to take their vehicles inside the sector. The aim is to reduce the chaos on internal roads.