Aiming at revenue generation and effective parking management, the municipal corporation (MC) has identified 10 new sites in the city for paid parking system. The MC is planning to float e-tenders soon as it wants to hand over the parking lots on contract basis.
Besides, the MC is also going to float tenders for multi-level parking lot situated near MC zone A office, other parking lots at Ferozepur road, main market and I block of Sarabha Nagar.
The newly identified areas for paid parking system are Sidhwan Canal to Octroi on Ferozepur road, Model Town market, Model Town extension market, Naveen Bharti market on Pakhowal road, near Orient Cinema opposite BRS Nagar police station, Jagraon bridge to Sherpur chowk, Dugri Phase 1 market, Sector 32 market, Bhadaur House and Mall road.
Earlier in June, the civic body had organised an auction for paid parking lots on Ferozepur road (Jagraon bridge to Sidhwan Canal), Feroze Gandhi market, Sarabha Nagar main market, Malhar road, I block Sarabha Nagar and Ghumar Mandi.
However, the auction for Feroze Gandhi market was not successful. Later, the contractors of Ferozepur road and Malhar road had surrendered their contracts while the MC had stayed the paid parking system in Ghumar Mandi after protest by market associations. The contract period for the main market and I block of Sarabha Nagar ended a few days ago.
{{/usCountry}}However, the auction for Feroze Gandhi market was not successful. Later, the contractors of Ferozepur road and Malhar road had surrendered their contracts while the MC had stayed the paid parking system in Ghumar Mandi after protest by market associations. The contract period for the main market and I block of Sarabha Nagar ended a few days ago.
{{/usCountry}}MC assistant commissioner Satwant Singh, who also heads Tehbazari wing, said, “We are conducting surveys in more areas to identify places for paid parking system as it will help in managing the vehicles on roadsides and parking lots.” According to him, the civic body took action to curb illegal parkings in different areas but such practices can be kept under check only by introducing paid parking system. “We are planning to hand over such parking sites on contract basis and a meeting will be organised soon to finalise the process,” he added.
Sources said the MC officials are also conducting meetings with GLADA officials as some of the identified areas including Naveen Bharti market, Sector 32 market and Dugri Phase 1 market fall under GLADA. The sources further say that the state government has sent a letter to the MC, asking it to charge `2 from two-wheelers and `5 from four-wheeler occupants. MC officials are said to be unhappy as they feel the charges recommended by the government are very low. Meanwhile, residents want MC to hand over the contracts to genuine bidders as reports have surfaced in the past regarding parking staffers overcharging them, mainly on Ferozepur road and Sarabha Nagar market.
Tejinder Singh, a resident, said, “MC should ensure that nominal fee is charged from visitors and the contractors indulged in overcharging shouldn’t be given contracts.”