Finally, civic body to hold e-auction for parking sites

The wait is finally over. After nearly three years of delay, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) is set to conduct an e-auction for six key parking sites across the city — and this time, it comes with a digital twist. Alongside the auction, the civic body will roll out an e-pass facility on a trial basis, allowing commuters to make cashless payments and renew parking passes online, marking a step towards smarter, more transparent parking management. The decision was approved during a recent meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC).

Among the sites listed for auction are Sarabha Nagar Market, Model Town Extension and two locations in BRS Nagar — areas that were temporarily made free during the 2022 civic and Assembly elections. The auction will also include Feroze Gandhi Market, Bhadaur House and the Mata Rani Chowk multi-storey parking lots.

To modernise operations, the MC will also introduce an e-pass facility on a trial basis at the Orient Cinema parking site in BRS Nagar. The system will allow commuters to make cashless payments and digitally renew parking passes.

“The trial will run for two months. If successful, we’ll extend it to other sites,” said an MC official.

The last e-auction was held in 2022 for a one-year contract. Since then, the process was repeatedly stalled, reportedly due to prolonged delays in the Mayor’s office. With the F&CC now clearing the proposal, the civic body aims to appoint a new contractor soon.

Residents of Sarabha Nagar and BRS Nagar have long demanded that parking in their areas should remain free. Their demand was temporarily met when late MLA Gurpreet Gogi and MLA Sanjeev Arora facilitated free parking at select sites. However, with these locations now included in the e-auction list, the residents’ expectations have been effectively quashed.

“Parking here was made free just before the elections and even towing was stopped. But now that the byelection is over, towing has resumed and parking fees are being levied again,” said Amanpreet Kaur, a resident of BRS Nagar. “It feels like these decisions are more political than practical.”

To encourage wider participation, the MC has removed the earlier condition requiring prior experience in managing parking facilities.

Parking remains a persistent challenge in Ludhiana, where vehicle numbers far exceed available space. Illegal roadside parking, overcharging and frequent disputes with attendants have worsened the situation.

Officials believe that digital systems and regular monitoring could help restore order and improve commuter experience.