Open House: How can the ongoing parking issues at the PGI be effectively addressed?

Multi-level facility is the only solution to the parking woes at the PGI. Any further delay in its completion would mean more trouble for people. There is a need to speed up the completion of the project.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Scale up use of telemedicine

More fee counters should be opened. Any delay in depositing of fee would result in the patient remaining at the PGI for longer period. Telemedicine should be started on large scale. It will certainly reduce the rush at the PGI.

Anil Mangla

Expedite multilevel parking project

The ongoing parking issues at the PGI can be effectively addressed by immediately creating temporary parking spaces, speeding up the construction of the multilevel parking project and encouraging carpooling and use of public transport.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

Charge high fee at parking facilities

The PGI can address the ongoing parking issue by speeding up the construction of a multilevel parking project, encouraging use of public transport, charging higher parking fee and implementing a shuttle service from nearby parking lots. The PGI can offer valet parking to reduce traffic congestion and improve parking situation.

Prithvee Yakhmi

Use open spaces at nearby institutions

The Chandigarh Administration must find parking space in Sector 11, PEC and Panjab University till the completion of multilevel parking project at the PGI. Vehicles can be parked at nearby open spaces. Shuttle service can be started for visitors to reach and return from PGI.

Wg Cdr (Dr) JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Promote use of public transport

Introduction of multilevel parking structures at strategic locations on the PGI campus, particularly vacant space in the forsenic laboratory building block near the market could significantly increase parking space. Promoting the use of public transportation by offering dedicated buses with free travel, at least for senior citizens, could further reduce the vehicle count on the hospital premises.

Diwakar Sahoonja, Chandigarh

Staff must commute by PGI buses

Till the multilevel parking at the PGI is completed, area in nearby Panjab University can be used for parking of vehicles of those coming from outside the city. Local residents may visit the hospital by CTU buses so. It can be made mandatory for employees to commute on PGI staff buses. The hospital has nearly 10,000 employees. If they start coming on buses, it will be a big relief from parking woes on the hospital premises.

Kirpal Singh

Dynamic parking fee structure needed

The PGI needs space to park about 10,000 more cars on OPD days. There is no space in the Sector 11 market to construct a huge building for parking of vehicles. The PGI management should construct multilevel parking lots for 6,000 cars at different locations. A dynamic parking fee structure should be introduced and people should be charged on hourly basis. This will generate huge revenue for the PGI.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

Ask for Admn help on multilevel project

The parking space in the PGI is quite less than the number of vehicles entering the premises daily. The PGI Director should ask the Chandigarh Administration to help in expediting the construction of multilevel parking on the campus. The parking issue can be addressed only when multilevel parking project is ready.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Charge parking fee on hourly basis

The daily footfall of vehicles at the PGI is nearly four times the parking space available. There is an immediate need to revisit the traffic management system at the hospital. One of the steps would be charge for parking on hourly basis. Those indulging in haphazard parking should be penalised.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Sector 11 residents bearing the brunt

The Sector 11 market has become an extension of the PGI as it has turned into a medical hub, losing relevance for area residents. Parts of Sector 11-A and D have become parking clusters, ruining the peace and ease of life. The PGI should make adequate parking arrangements on its own premises. The shopping complex in the PGI should be made a multi-storeyed mall of medicine and devices. The New OPD can be relocated to Sarangpur. Play fields in the PGI can be done away with to create space for parking vehicles. Running clinics and hospitals from houses opposite the Sector market should not be allowed.

Col PS Gill (retd)

Improve bus service to premier institute

The footfall at the PGI is increasing day by day. The hospital has limited car parking facility. The authorities should permit parking of cars at distant places in the PGI itself and in Sector 11 as well. Improving bus service from main terminuses of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula with stoppages at main centres can help much in reducing the parking load. The facility of valet parking with suitable charges can also be started.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Decrease demand for parking space

Promote alternative modes of transportation like cycling, walking and carpooling to reduce demand for parking space. Overall, PGI should encourage people to choose eco-friendly modes of transportation.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

Time wasted in scouting for space

Patients and their attendants waste their precious time in getting a proper parking space. They park far away from the wards and sometimes even serious patients have to walk a distance to reach doctors. It is frustrating and irritating when your appointment is scheduled at a particular time and you can’t reach due to the parking issue. The hospital has to construct multilevel parking on its premises immediately. The delay is compounding the problem.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Seek help of traffic police

There seems no end to parking woes on the PGI campus. Parking on the roadside often leads to chaos. The institute should request the traffic police to do a survey in and around the campus and see how the traffic can be properly regulated. The bus shuttle service on the campus must be improved so that patients or their attendants visiting by cabs or autos can get off at the main gate and reach respective departments.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

PGI staff can come by two-wheelers

Staff, students and trainees doing internship in the PGI must come on bicycles and two-wheelers instead of four-wheelers in order to give some relief to the already choked parking space on the hospital premises.

Rajiv Sood, Chandigarh

Start spl bus service from ISBTs to PGI

The daily inflow of vehicles at the PGI is four times the existing parking capacity. It is nightmarish not for patients and their attendants, but also for the hospital management. The Chandigarh Administration should provide a dedicated bus service for the PGI from tricity, especially from ISBTs. At the same time, the construction of additional multilevel parking needs to be undertaken on utmost priority.

SS Arora, Mohali

Provide for space in new buildings

As long as possible, patients must take buses, cabs or carpool to reach the PGI. The hospital must design new buildings in a way that three-four lower floors are kept for parking of vehicles and upper floors can house wards and departments.

Dinesh Kumar Badhwar

Complete multilevel parking project

The authorities concerned should accord priority to the multilevel parking project and complete it at the earliest so that visitors to the PGI could be spared of parking blues. All hindrances in the way of the project such as financial, technical and administrative must be resolved in the public interest by the stakeholders. Patients and their attendants may be discouraged to come in private vehicles Staff and students of the PGI may be asked to park their vehicles in the close vicinity of the hospital like at PEC, PU, Sector 11, Sector 15, etc.

Hardik, Mohali

Create a subway to Panjab University

PU authorities may be consulted to create parking space on the premises of the university opposite the PGI. Creation of a subway between the road separating the PU Gate number 1 and the PGI is another good option as wide open area of the university can be utilised for parking of vehicles. PGI staff may use alternative parking sites adjacent to the PGI premises and come on foot from there.

Akshita, SAS Nagar

Start evening OPDs to divide rush

Encouraging alternative modes of transportation and evening OPD may divide the rush. Building new parking lots or expanding existing ones could help accommodate more vehicles but it’s a time consuming process. Paucity of space leads to parking of vehicles haphazardly and creating problem for staff and patients. Low-fare e-rickshaws can be made available on the hospital premises. The need of the hour is to chalk out a master plan to address the issue of parking of private vehicles.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Underground parking need of hour

The proposal to construct parking facilities especially in Sector 11 is not a viable solution as it is far away from various departments of the hospital. It would be inconvenient for patients to walk the way to the hospital. To end the problem at the PGI, it would be better if the authorities concerned make a plan to construct more underground parking facilities on the campus itself.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Start free parking at places near PGI

It is disappointing to note the increasing delay in the accomplishment of the multilevel parking project. However, it is urgent for the PGIMER to solve the parking woes. An internal bus service can be introduced. A free parking facility can be made available at the nearby open grounds. Those indulging in unauthorised parking should be penalised and their vehicles impounded.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

Tricity patients must use public transport

Parking woes at the premiere institute PGI can be resolved to some extent if the authorities encourage tricity residents to use public transport or cab or let one of the members of their families drop off and pick them up. Also, it can fix different days for local and outstation patients. Only referred patients from other states should be attended. Acquisition of parking space in Sector 11 will only add to the problems of those working in the market, which is often plagued with haphazardly parked vehicles.

Savita Kuthiala

QUESTION

The UT Administrator’s Advisory Council has endorsed formulation of separate building bylaws for villages, aimed at regulating development in those areas. What factors should be taken into account while drafting the bylaws?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com