E-Paper
Chandigarh: Soon, autos will have to park at designated stands
Chandigarh administration and municipal corporation have identified 123 sites for auto-rickshaw stands to minimise traffic snarls
The UT administration and the municipal corporation have identified as many as 123 dedicated sites for auto-rickshaw stand in the city to minimise traffic chaos caused by roadside parking by three-wheelers.
The auto-rickshaws stands, which will be earmarked mostly in MC’s parking lots or near bus queue shelters, will also work as pick-up points for commuters, compared to current arbitrary pick-up spots used by auto drivers. The locations have been fixed keeping in view auto-rickshaw frequency and public requirement.
While sites have been identified in 26 sectors and Industrial Areas (see box), the plan for some sectors, including Sectors 15, 17 , 19 and 41, and near Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Sector 12, Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, is in the works.
Giving details, MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “The sites have been identified by the UT chief architect and MC will soon start earmarking them so that auto-rickshaws can be parked there. The sites will be constructed and maintained by MC. Most of them will be in the existing parking lots. Proper signage and boards will be fixed to help passengers identify the stands. The project will help in managing traffic across the city, as presently auto-rickshaws halt and park on main roads.”
At present, hundreds of UT registered auto-rickshaw ply on city roads, and several more also come in from neighbouring Mohali and Panchkula.
During the district road safety committee’s meeting in February this year, UT transport secretary Nitin Kumar Yadav had asked the chief architect’s office to designate parking space for autos for the smooth conduct of traffic, and better management of pick-up and drop facilities by auto operators.
