BMC plans parking lots in localities to free up lanes, bylanes | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: To free up lanes and bylanes choked by the erratic parking of vehicles, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has drawn up plans to create more than 100 neighbourhood parking lots in different localities.
Erratic parking often prevents ambulance and fire engines from responding to emergencies in time. Through the move, the civic body will allow people to park vehicles in the designated lots rather than along narrow roads, officials said.
“A survey is going on to identify suitable govt land close to clusters of residential houses, colonies and apartments so that parking lots can be developed. If we don’t get govt land at those vantage spots, we may take private land and pay rent to the owner. This may take time, but in the long run, erratic parking can be reduced considerably,” said BMC deputy commissioner (revenue), Ajay Mohanty.
BMC officials said they are yet to fix modalities as to whether to charge a nominal parking fee for those who will regularly park their vehicles or provide the space for free. To check erratic parking on major arteries, particularly in front of shops, offices, market buildings, hospitals and other establishments, BMC has already identified 15 more parking lots. “Small parking spaces will be closed. New and bigger plots in vacant areas will be turned into designated parking spaces. The new lots are being created as part of the recently formulated new standard operating procedure (SOP) for parking, which is in the draft stage, and will be put before the corporation for approval,” Mohanty added.
As per the current practice, for parking in front of malls and other establishments, BMC auctions the spaces, which are bought from the civic body through an annual contract and paying a parking fee. The arrangement has been introduced because many riders park their vehicles in front of the malls haphazardly but don’t pay any parking fee. BMC officials said since there is a paucity of space in front of malls and market buildings, institutional parking lots will be enhanced by earmarking vacant spaces nearby.
The stretch of Smart Janpath from Vani Vihar to Sishu Bhawan was designed for roadside parking. Interestingly, in between the stretch, a multi-level car parking (MLCP) has come up at Saheed Nagar. Now the city authorities don’t allow parking on the Janpath between Vani Vihar and Satya Nagar to direct people towards the MLCP.
Erratic parking often prevents ambulance and fire engines from responding to emergencies in time. Through the move, the civic body will allow people to park vehicles in the designated lots rather than along narrow roads, officials said.
“A survey is going on to identify suitable govt land close to clusters of residential houses, colonies and apartments so that parking lots can be developed. If we don’t get govt land at those vantage spots, we may take private land and pay rent to the owner. This may take time, but in the long run, erratic parking can be reduced considerably,” said BMC deputy commissioner (revenue), Ajay Mohanty.
BMC officials said they are yet to fix modalities as to whether to charge a nominal parking fee for those who will regularly park their vehicles or provide the space for free. To check erratic parking on major arteries, particularly in front of shops, offices, market buildings, hospitals and other establishments, BMC has already identified 15 more parking lots. “Small parking spaces will be closed. New and bigger plots in vacant areas will be turned into designated parking spaces. The new lots are being created as part of the recently formulated new standard operating procedure (SOP) for parking, which is in the draft stage, and will be put before the corporation for approval,” Mohanty added.
As per the current practice, for parking in front of malls and other establishments, BMC auctions the spaces, which are bought from the civic body through an annual contract and paying a parking fee. The arrangement has been introduced because many riders park their vehicles in front of the malls haphazardly but don’t pay any parking fee. BMC officials said since there is a paucity of space in front of malls and market buildings, institutional parking lots will be enhanced by earmarking vacant spaces nearby.
The stretch of Smart Janpath from Vani Vihar to Sishu Bhawan was designed for roadside parking. Interestingly, in between the stretch, a multi-level car parking (MLCP) has come up at Saheed Nagar. Now the city authorities don’t allow parking on the Janpath between Vani Vihar and Satya Nagar to direct people towards the MLCP.
