Kolkata, generally given the short shrift, seems to be scoring on one count. It is showing other cities of India how to park their cars!
The city has two multi-level automated parkomats, the first of their kind in India
KOLKATA: Kolkata, generally given the short shrift, seems to be scoring on one count. It is showing other cities of India how to park their cars!
Indeed, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) recently organised a symposium on Modern City Development, where it showcased its two automated parkomats (multi-tier parking spaces), the first of their kind in the country.
Senior municipal officials, including municipal commissioners and deputy commissioners from various cities, who were present at the meet, went away truly impressed with the infrastructure and the efficiency with which the two parkomats were being operated.
While the Bangalore municipal commissioner expressed a desire to have something similar in his city, the additional municipal commissioner of Hyderabad was equally impressed.
Cities represented included Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Bhubaneswar among others. There was a presence from Nepal too.
Simpark, the company which set up the two parkomats, incorporated Dutch technology though it had to modify things to suit Indian needs.
“We were pleasantly surprised with the response,” said Gautam Dasgupta, deputy general manager, Simplex, which had floated Simpark as a special purpose vehicle.
The company has set up two multi-level parking facilities. The first is, in the not-so-busy area of Rawdon Street, where a 180 by 80 metre strip of waste land was converted into a parking facility for 200 cars.
The other is the extremely high footfall shopping complex of New Market, where 40,000 sq ft have been transformed into a commercial area-cum parking lot.
“The KMC needed the commercial complex to offset the costs. Revenues from only the parking lot would have merely met the electricity bills,” added Dasgupta.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}