Deccan Chronicle

Citizens wary of civic body’s new parking plan

Only 2 applicatio­ns received so far, says GHMC official

- MADDY DEEKSHITH | DC HYDERABAD, MARCH 18

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporatio­n (GHMC) has decided to use vacant lands earmarked for public parks and community halls, for parking purposes instead.

With parking spaces fast becoming scarce in the twin cities, the GHMC has drawn up plans to introduce parking lots. If all goes according to plan, the Greater Hyderabad will soon be dotted with multi-level stack parking facilities.

The corporatio­n has proposed the establishm­ent of parking facilities at its head office, zonal offices and circle offices, where open plots are available, on a pilot basis.

However, property owners are unwilling to allow their lands to be used by the GHMC.

Highly-placed sources in the GHMC say that landowners have no faith in the corporatio­n, they believe that the GHMC may permanentl­y convert their lands into parking facilities, and eventually assume ownership.

Though corporatio­n officials have been receiving inquiries regarding the proposal, only a few applicatio­ns have been received so far.

The GHMC officials recently held a review meeting with the police, headed by the Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy. They claimed that the owners of private lands were not willing to provide their vacant plots to setup parking facilities.

In the past three months, permission has been granted for the setup of a single stack parking facility on 560 sq. yards of land in Yellareddy­guda, near Ameerpet Metro Station.

The GHMC officials said that they would also give the GHMC’s vacant lands and open spaces available in public parks and community halls to setup parking facilities; however, that is against the norms.

Speaking to this newspaper, a senior GHMC official said that the corporatio­n had received only two applicatio­ns for the setup of stack parking facilities.

IN THE past three months, permission has been granted for the setup of a single stack parking facility on 560 sq. yards of land in Yellareddy­guda, near Ameerpet Metro Station.

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