Multi-level parking yet to get operational

Amit Khajuria

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 3

The Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) inaugurated a multi-level mechanised car parking near Super Bazar in old city 15 days ago but in spite of having parking space, the staff at the multi-level car parking are asking people to park their vehicles on the roadside.

Traffic chaos at Rabhnath Bazar, Purani Mandi, Kanak Mandi and City Chowk is not a new thing for Jammu residents but after the inauguration of the multi-level car parking near City Chowk, people were expecting some relief from the chaos.

The ERA is yet to handover the parking lot to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), which has to generate revenue and maintain it for the next five years.

“Earlier, there was a capacity of about 100 vehicles in this parking area but it was closed for more than a year for the construction of a multi-level mechanised car parking. Now, no one wants to come to the market due to the parking problem,” said Sumit Verma, a cloth merchant at Purani Mandi.

“After its inauguration by the Chief Minister, we were expecting some relief from the traffic chaos, but even after 15 days of its inauguration, the authorities are yet to operate it,” he added.

People visiting these busiest markets of the city had no space to park their vehicles.

Even the traders and shopkeepers of these markets are parking their vehicles on the roadside at Raghunath Bazar, Kanak Mandi and other areas.

The Chief Minister had inaugurated the multi-level mechanised car parking facility on August 17.

Built with latest technology and security parameters, the facility has a capacity to park 352 cars and 162 motorcycles, including SUVs.

The seven-storey facility has been developed by the ERA at a cost of Rs 33.11 crore and it was expected to ease the traffic congestion in old city areas.

“The mechanised car parking was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on August 17. We operated it for three-four days but it was closed. It will be operated by the JDA, which will generate the revenue and maintain it for the next five years. The JDA will take over it in the next few days and it will be operated thereafter,” said Ravinder Kumar Gupta, Director, ERA, Jammu.