Multi-level parking to end traffic woes in Kasauli

Tribune News Service

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Solan, March 4

The much-awaited foundation stone of a multi-level parking lot in the cantonment town of Kasauli was laid by the defence authorities today. Being the first such project to be set up in a cantonment, it will come up above the existing bus stand and will provide space to more than 450 vehicles.

“A sum of Rs 16.50 crore has been sanctioned for the project, which will be completed within a year,” vice-president of the cantonment board Devinder Gupta said. He added that the project would be completed in three phases.

Though the town did have a few small parking lots, these offered limited space. Since the town faces a dire shortage of parking places, especially in the summer when the tourist footfall is high, expansion of parking had become imperative. The project has been hanging fire since 2017.

Initially, a multi-level parking had been proposed to ease traffic congestion in Kasauli, where apart from the bus stand on the ground floor, three top floors were supposed to accommodate vehicles. The cantonment board had passed a resolution for the work in July 2017. The proposal was reduced to one-third by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), given the fragile ecology of the area in its September 2018 order.

The NGT had also directed the state government to explore the option of operating a battery operated vehicle or an e-vehicle for the pick-and-drop facility.

Will accommodate over 450 vehicles

• The parking lot will provide space to more than 450 vehicles.
• Kasauli did have a few small parking lots, but these offered limited space.  
• Since the town faces a dire shortage of parking places, especially in the summer when the tourist footfall is  high, expansion of parking became imperative. 
• The project has been hanging fire since 2017.