At Panchkula, rain brings pain for Mini Secretariat parking lot

A visit to the parking complex near the national highway entry point recently revealed that residents were forced to park their vehicles in waterlogged areas. “Paying for parking is not the issue; these areas should be properly developed and maintained for suitable parking,” said Bharat Bhushan Juneja, a resident of Sector 12A, Panchkula.

Harinder Pal, another resident from Sector 26, shared the struggles locals faced. “Parking and retrieving vehicles from the makeshift parking lots is the first challenge before we even get to enter the offices of the Mini Secretariat,” he said. With approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people visiting the Secretariat office daily, finding a suitable parking spot becomes an ordeal, with an underground parking space remaining consistently full. The complex consists of three designated parking areas, including the multi-level parking in the new Mini Secretariat building, bike/activa parking in front of the driving license registration office, and the uneven area adjacent to the DC office building.

Due to the high footfall at the Mini Secretariat complex, the multi-level and two-wheeler parking areas are frequently occupied during most parts of the day. As a result, residents, and even the secretariat staff, are compelled to resort to the kuccha area for parking, which features uneven terrain. During rainfall, the situation worsens with muddy puddles hindering smooth movement.

Prodded for a response on the matter, Dr Priyanka Soni, Deputy Commissioner of Panchkula, acknowledged that there was a issue that needed to be looked into. “We are fully aware of the problems caused by the kuccha parking lot. The government has approved a funding of Rs 51 lakh for the development of the parking area. We will initiate the development work as soon as we receive a tender, which is expected in the next one month,” Soni said.