The Hindu       21.01.2015  

No takers for VMC’s parking lot plans

There are close to four lakh vehicles in the city, and each day nearly 150 new vehicles hit the road. With the rising vehicular population, the demand for parking space is also going up. Unfortunately, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation’s plans to open more parking are yet to fructify.

At present, the VMC has 11 parking lots, and it has identified 12 locations for opening new parking lots. Since June last year, the VMC has invited tenders thrice for operating the lots, yet the bidders seem to be not interested in the offer.

The new locations identified are near Raj Towers close to the Congress office on Eluru Road, Liberty Hair Styles, Swagruha Road, Sriram Chits office and A.V. Opticals. Depending on the size and location, the tender bid amount ranges from Rs. 60, 000 to Rs. 11 lakh for each lot.

There are several reasons for the poor response from bidders. Though the parking lots are planned in prime locations, most bidders are apprehensive about their success, as many vehicle owners in the city still do not park their vehicles in lots, says a senior VMC official.

“Unless the Traffic Police enforce parking rules strictly, parking lots will not serve any purpose. Perhaps, this is the reason why most bidders are apprehensive about operating the lots,” he adds.

The VMC operates three lots on its own, but things did not materialise as expected, thanks to staff crunch. Parking lots are operated from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and to operate one lot, at least three persons are required. “Moreover, they need to work in shifts, and utilising their services for operating the lots is not financially feasible, as the income generated by the lots is not enough to pay staff. That is the reason why private bidders are invited to operate the lots,” he says.