Multilevel Parking Facility Fails to Resolve Noida Sector 18 Parking Woes

Vehicle owners driving down to the busiest market of Sector 18 in Noida had been patiently waiting for a solution to their parking woes. To provide a remedy to this problem, the Noida authority finally launched a multilevel car-parking (MLCP) facility for the area in January, with a capacity to hold 3,000 vehicles. However, the new system has failed to achieve what it was meant to.

Managed by DLF Limited, the eight-storeyed MLCP is the first such facility in the city which spans over an area of 2.5 acres and has been developed at a cost of Rs 243.32 crore. Much to the disappointment of the shop owners of the locality, the parking rates are rather similar to the surface parking rates. Moreover, some flaws in footpath design and lack of road infrastructure are among other factors owing to which the facility is not being utilised to its capacity, as reported by Hindustan Times. Since three months of its inauguration, the MLCP only attracts merely 200 vehicles a day.

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Sector 18 market association moves court

Parking problems for shop-owners have been a double whammy for some years - illegal parking near their shops and now the high parking charges. After the launch of MLCP, there has been hike in parking fee from Rs 30 a day to Rs 20 per hour, shooting up their operating costs.

Upset over the high parking rates, the market association of Noida’s Sector 18 decided to knock on the doors of the Allahabad High Court. It joined the Atta Market Association to demand the formation of a committee which will look into the issue - the disparity in parking rates at the DLF multi-level parking and inside the mall. The association wants the monthly rates to not exceed Rs 400 for four-wheelers and Rs 150 for two-wheelers. 

As per recent news, the members of Sector 18 market association, headed by president SK Jain, have requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to roll back the fee hike. They said that the charges inside the malls is lower compared to the MLCP parking fee.

As approved by the Noida Authority, the DLF has fixed per-day parking charges at Rs 40 on weekdays and Rs 60 on weekends - a much lower proposition than multi-level parking charges of over Rs 100 for day-long parking. Besides, surface parking rates had been set at Rs 20 for cars and Rs 10 for motorbikes, on an hourly basis. The MLCP fee for four-wheeled vehicles is Rs 30 for initial two hours and Rs 10 every hour subsequently whereas two-wheeled vehicles are charged Rs 10 for initial two hours and Rs 5 per hour subsequently.

On-street parking vs off-street parking

In February, the Noida Authority came down heavily on those who park vehicles just anywhere on the roads. It announced a fine of Rs 1,000 (and Rs 500 on two-wheelers) for four-wheelers parked at areas not earmarked for parking and warned of towing them away. Jain also told in a letter to the UP CM that the fine in other areas is only Rs 300. The menace of on-street parking is continuing and nearly 40 vehicles are towed away every day. The MLCP, which can accommodate 2,280 four-wheelers and 180 two-wheelers, is an ideal solution but has not been implemented effectively. Urban Transport Expert, OP Agarwal opined that in addition to lowering the MLCP parking rates, surface parking should be made prohibitive.

The newly-launched off-street parking facility is no better than on-street parking. To encourage shop owners and other motorists to adopt the state-of-the-art MLCP, some of the following issues need to be addressed:

• The MLCP facility dons a deserted look as shop-owners prefer parking near their shops, since they have to pay at the same rates as for surface-parking. Without monetary incentives, the owners and staff of the many shops flanking the Sector 18 lanes find no harm in staying put near the overcrowded surface-parking slots.

• Most shopkeepers carry valuable goods from their vehicles to their shops and the multi-level parking is located at quite a distance (approx. 300-400 metres from the markets). Plus, the fee is a burden if concessions are not given - which they expect. If things do not go in their favour, they may be forced to shut down.

• Lack of footpaths and rickshaws has raised safety concerns. The footpaths running outside the MLCP are as high as 2 feet, much higher than the India Roads Congress (IRC) Code-specified height of 15 centimetres. Some stretches are broken and blocked by electric wires, open drains and cement blocks.

• Urban planning experts also highlight that these stretches are an inconvenience for the pedestrians and the disabled.

• Shopkeepers can avail a monthly parking pass at Rs 1,000 per month (Rs 1,500 per month for others). But they are reluctant in doing so as they need to furnish important personal and property documents.

• So far, only two (ground and first) out of the eight floors are fully operational with working lifts, which has been a factor in discouraging motorists from using the facility. Once fully operational, vehicle count is expected to rise which often happens during special events at the malls or hotels. Facilities are improving but it is going to take some time and people need to support us in that, said RK Mishra, additional CEO, Noida authority, as reported by Hindustan Times. However, latest reports suggest that all floors of Noida Sector 18 MLCP may open for use within three months.