BMC withdraws proposal for underground parking
To cover up its failure to produce appropriate details of a proposal tabled in BMC’s standing committee, the civic administration on Friday withdrew its suggestion of constructing an underground parking lot at Kandivali. According to the project, the parking lot will accommodate only 52 vehicles (four and two-wheeler vehicles).
The proposal was to convert Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel swimming pool in Kandivali into an Olympic-sized one. The project is estimated to cost Rs 45 crore. The proposal includes the construction of an administrative building, staff quarters, viewing gallery and security wall including the underground parking lot.
The proposal was tabled before the standing committee in the BMC for approval on May 12 where it was questioned by BJP councillors Manoj Kotak and Prabhakar Shinde.
While Kotak asked the administration to give a presentation on the entire project to the standing committee, Shinde asked for the details about the feasibility of the plan which the administration did not submit.
Speaking with Free Press Journal, Shinde said, “If the civic body aims to create an Olympic-level swimming pool, they should submit the maintenance report of the pools currently maintained by the administration. Also, an underground parking would cost the civic body an additional Rs 10 crore. When the BMC is chopping down its budget to Rs 25,000 crore, why unnecessarily spend funds when we can construct ground plus one structure for parking.”
Shinde argued that the duration to create an underground parking will be 24 months whereas it will take 12 months to construct a ground plus one structure for parking. He said, “I asked them to submit the traffic count of that area and the number of vehicles parked in the nearby parking lots.”
As the officials were unable to submit appropriate details, civic chief Ajoy Mehta directed officials to withdrew the proposal.
A senior civic official said, “Unfortunately, we couldn’t provide the required details. The proposal is currently being reviewed. We will resubmit the proposal in the standing committee with all facts and figures.”
Prabhakar Shinde asked for details about the feasibility of the plan which the administration did not submit