Give parking plans with timelines, agencies told

NEWDELHI: Delhi’s new chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev has asked civic bodies to improve parking facilities across Delhi in order to reduce congestion on roads of the Capital.

Senior officials said the civic bodies have been asked to develop parking places at Nehru Place, Bhikaji Cama Place, Lajpat Nagar and Karol Bagh markets, where traffic snarls are regular.

Also, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been asked to map its 208 Metro stations to come up with parking plans at the most congested stations. At present, only one-third of the total Metro stations have parking facilities.

The agencies have been asked to provide parking plans with “timelines”. The directions came during a meeting of all agencies convened by the chief secretary last week.

While Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has two vacant plots at Nehru Place and Bhikaji Cama Place, it was suggested that the agency come up with a parking plan for both places.

DDA vice-chairman Tarun Kapoor said, “We are already planning the redevelopment of Nehru Place and Bhikaji Cama markets. We are also looking at creating parking spaces beside the existing lots.”

The South and North municipal corporations have been asked to submit a “concrete

plan” for parking at Lajpat Nagar and Karol Bagh markets.

North corporation officials said a parking facility has already been planned to accommodate around 525 vehicles at the Karol Bagh market.

“A parking plan for the market is already in place and work will start soon,” a North corporation official said.

A senior South corporation official said, “We are yet to receive an official communication regarding the same. However, a well-planned parking scheme, run by the traders’

association of Lajpat Nagar, is already in place at the market.”

Traffic police officers were requested to expedite work on decongesting major corridors identified earlier.

“We have categorised the corridors on the basis of priority and work on road engineering has already started on these stretches,” Alok Kumar, JCP (traffic), said. Lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal had asked the government and the Delhi Police to work together to decongest 77 corridors in the capital.