The work for much-awaited project of multi-level parking in Sector 17 would finally kick off on Tuesday.
Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil would lay the foundation stone of the multi-level parking project near Gurdev Studio on Tuesday. The much-delayed multi level parking project, which was hanging fire for more than two years had recently got the approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)
The project to be carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) is likely to end parking woes in the City Centre—Sector 17.
An official of the UT Administration said that the multi-level parking would come up near Gurudev Studio Sector 17 and is estimated to cost Rs 38 crore. The construction of the parking project is likely to complete in next 18 months. As per the proposal, the multi-level parking lot would accommodate 950 vehicles. The parking near Gurudev Studio will have three basement floors for four wheelers and a surface level for two wheelers.
The official said that the layout of the parking has been finalized keeping in view the heritage status of Sector 17. The construction of the parking would be carried out carefully ensuring that the commuters do not face any inconvenience during their visit to the area.
The proposal for the multi-level parking lot at this site was mooted two years ago and the MCC’s general house had approved it in March last year. The MCC had also axed a large number of trees at the existing Gurdev parking lot for the multi-level parking project.
Recently, the UT Administrator Shivraj Patil had directed the Administration to seek proposals from the city denizens to deal with parking problem in the city. Patil had also reviewed the alternative arrangements which will be made available to commuters in Sector 17 here during the period when multi level parking would be constructed.
Notably, the UT traders associations had also demanded revamping of Sector 17—the commercial complex of city. The traders association had requested the UT Administration to start the construction of multi level parking soon.
At present, finding parking space in Sectors 8, 9, 17, 19, 22, 26, 34, 35 is always troublesome for the city residents. With escalating vehicular population in Chandigarh and an immediate need to address the parking woes in the City Centre, the UT Administration had prepared a proposal to construct four multi-level parkings in Sector 17. A survey by RITES had also indicated parking requirement for 3300 more vehicles in the city.
A New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its recent survey had stated that new registration of cars in Chandigarh every year creates demand for additional land for parking equal to 58 football fields. Also, Chandigarh has 227 cars per 1,000 people and the city has 441,284 vehicles per 1,000 km of road length