NMMC takes action to alleviate city’s parking woes with multi-level facilities

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is tackling the pressing issue of parking scarcity in the city by implementing multi-level parking facilities across various nodes.

The civic body is ready to commission its first multi-level parking facility in Belapur and is in the process of developing two more in Belapur and Vashi, with plans for more facilities in other nodes.

The four-storey parking facility in sector 15, covering 4,705 sqm, will be ready for commission soon. It will accommodate 396 four-wheelers and 121 two-wheelers, offering significant relief to parking woes in the commercial hub. Tenders are being issued to appoint an agency to manage the facility.

Two more facilities are in the pipeline: one at sector 15 CBD Belapur (plot number 72, spanning 6,900 sqm) and another at sector 30A in Vashi opposite Tunga hotel (over 11,300 sqm).

Municipal commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, after reviewing the projects in a high-level meeting of civic, traffic police, and RTO officials, expressed the intent to explore public-private partnerships (PPP) for these developments. He explained, “PPP system will ensure NMMC does not have to make any direct investment thereby saving public funds and will instead earn revenue from the project.”

Narvekar informed that a feasibility report, prepared by Feedback Infra Pvt. Ltd., is underway to implement the projects on a PPP basis. The potential utilisation of available space for commercial purposes alongside parking is being considered.

Considering current and future traffic scenarios, Narvekar assured that parking tariffs would be reasonable for the public. He underscored ongoing efforts to finalize tariffs based on a study of parking charges at various NMMC pay-and-park areas.

The commissioner declared, “We are planning similar facilities in other parts of the city as well for which plans are being readied. I have ordered a survey of the areas, following which a report will be submitted to me at the earliest.”

Speaking on the presentation, city engineer Sanjay Desai outlined the meticulous evaluation process, including traffic density, plot design, and prevailing parking systems in respective areas. Desai highlighted, “Presently, the areas that have several offices and commercial establishments witness heavy traffic. We have found that vehicles are parked on both sides of the roads. This results in the narrowing of the road leading to motorists facing issues of smooth passage. Both the proposed facilities will hence be beneficial in resolving the issues.”