South Delhi’s GK 1 has 400-car parking lot. So why are cars still parked on the road?

Some visitors complained about the time it takes to park a car at the facility.

“If we want to be in and out of the market to grab something really quick, the multi-level parking doesn’t help. The parking takes around five to ten minutes. Getting the car back also takes another five minutes. The whole thing is hard work,” said a visitor.

An MCD parking attendant, who has been managing traffic and issuing parking tickets in the market since 2020, said the new parking facility is yet to earn the public’s trust. “Both facilities charge the same Rs 20 per hour and Rs 100 for the whole day. Yet, people prefer to park on the road,” he said.

An official at Sotefin Bharat, the agency in charge of operations and maintenance of the parking facility, explained how the facility works.

“We have five entry bays for cars. The driver enters the drop off point. The car is placed in one of the bays and it is automatically shuttled off to a parking space in the multi-level structure. Through the same automated system, the car is brought to the exit bay, which is then collected by the driver,” he said.

Cars parked on the road leading to Greater Kailash’s M Block Market. (Express Photo by Mishal Mussaddique)

Rain hits ops

The parking attendant said the facility was closed last week for a couple of days due to the heavy rain. “You can’t blame the residents or the visitors for being hesitant,” he said.

The Sotefin Bharat official claimed it was shut for safety reasons.

“Due to the heavy rain, BSES cut off our power supply as a precautionary measure. Our basements, where we kept our generators and our electrical equipment, got a little flooded. But we’ve learnt our faults and taken care of the situation,” he said.

He added, “We’ve installed several pumps across the facility to avoid any waterlogging. We’ve also found the spot where water is seeping in and put a wall as a barrier. We haven’t had any problems during rains after this measure.”

He said that surface parking and the multi-level parking facilities belong to different departments within the MCD and they have no relation with each other.

‘MCD needs to market it better’

The problem is not unique to the GK facility, with several other multi-level parking facilities across the city also struggling to attract users.

Anil Chikkara, a former Transport official, said it is a matter of advertising.

“We now have several mutli-level parking facilities across the city facing the same problem. The main problem they have to tackle is why should a resident prefer this facility to roadside parking, which is easily accessible and mostly free.”

He said the MCD should highlight the security offered by the facility as a reason for motorists to use it. “For a meager fee, the parking facilities see to that your car is not damaged or stolen. Your valuables inside the vehicle are also safe. The MCD should take advantage of this and market it properly.”

Chikkara also pointed out the lack of the signages. “There are no signs that point to the parking facility at the market. So how will a visitor know of this facility?.”

He added that incentives should be provided to regulars and residents of the area.

Plans to limit surface parking

Ward councillor Anjum Mandal said she has been requesting the MCD to scrap surface parking.

“The M-Block facility was created to provide an organised parking solution and ensure better utilisation of public infrastructure. I’ve requested the MCD authorities concerned to review the existing surface parking arrangement and rationalise it in a practical manner, so that the multi-level facility is effectively utilised while ensuring convenience for residents, visitors and local businesses,” she said.

“Our priority is clear: better parking management, smoother traffic movement and maximum public benefit.”

When contacted, an MCD official said they plan to ‘delete’ stretches of surface parking near the entrances.

“Based on multiple grievances, including letters from the ward councillor, we have come up with a proposal to limit surface parking facilities, especially along stretches near the entrance and exit of the market. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved by this year,” he said.

However, the official claimed there were no plans to scrap surface parking altogether in the market, as it remains a revenue-generating mechanism for the MCD.