Noida residents oppose authority’s bid to allow roadside parking

The Noida authority on Wednesday began the process to allow paid parking along roadsides in sectors 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79 by issuing a tender inviting bids from interested contractors, who want to operate surface parking facilities here, officials said

The Noida authority on Wednesday began the process to allow paid parking along roadsides in sectors 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79 by issuing a tender inviting bids from interested contractors, who want to operate surface parking facilities here, officials said. The move, however, was opposed by residents of these areas who said roadside parking will lead to vehicular congestion and harassment of citizens and plan to stage a protest if the authority doesn’t cancel its plan.

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According to officials, the authority plans to finalise the agency to operate surface parking lots in a month or two, provided at least three contractors applied for the job.

“We have written to the Noida authority and the Uttar Pradesh government to not allow paid parking on roadsides. How can the authority allow paid parking in residential areas when there re no shopping complexes here? Where will our visitors park their vehicles?” Naveen Dube, a resident of Capetown society in Sector 74, said.

“No society has reserved parking for the guests and visitors inside the complex. As a result, visitors have to park outside--sometimes for an entire night because there is no space inside the complex. How can people pay so much parking fee?” Kuldip Chauhan, a resident of Sector 75, said.

The authority, however, has no plan to withdraw its decision as of now because it wants to regulate parking and earn revenue, officials said, adding they will still consider the issues residents have raised.

“We will look into the issues raised by the residents and take appropriate action,” said SP Singh, deputy general manger of the Noida authority.