After 1-month shutdown, BMC to appoint new contractor for Mumbai’s first robotic car parking facility
The robotic car parking facility in Mumbai's Breach Candy was shut down due to a dispute with the contractor.
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Located on Bhulabhai Desai Road, the facility is a 21-storey building featuring mechanised platforms designed to accommodate vehicles. (File Photo)The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to issue a new tender to appoint a contractor to maintain and operate the city’s first robotic car parking facility in Breach Candy, South Mumbai. This facility, inaugurated in 2021 by former mayor Kishori Pednekar, was shut down last month due to a dispute with the contractor responsible for its operation and maintenance.
Located on Bhulabhai Desai Road, the facility is a 21-storey building featuring mechanised platforms designed to accommodate vehicles. A car parked on one of these platforms is lifted and stored in a chamber on one of the 21 floors. This mechanised system alleviates the burden of finding a parking space, making it easier for car owners to park their vehicles.
The facility had the capacity to accommodate 240 vehicles simultaneously. However, in November this year, the civic authorities suspended the parking lot operation after one of the robotic arms responsible for controlling the platforms malfunctioned. Additionally, the authorities reported leaks in multiple areas within the building.
“The contractor was instructed to repair the arms and make them operational as soon as possible. However, the contractor requested a balance payment that was due at the end of the current financial year. Since the BMC did not pay this amount upfront, the contract was revoked,” stated a civic official.
“For a city like Mumbai, which is short on space, robo parking offers a viable solution to the increasing vehicular density. Although these facilities are compact, they can accommodate a substantial number of vehicles. The facility has been quite popular among citizens, as it would often be fully occupied throughout the day on weekends. Therefore, we need to restore this facility to operational status,” an official said.
“A contract will be floated next month, and we are hopeful that by the first quarter, the facility will become operational again,” said the official, adding that the facility will also be repaired before restarting operations.
The BMC previously charged Rs 4,400 for monthly parking passes, while the hourly rate was Rs 70 per hour. If a vehicle was parked for more than 12 hours, the fee for the additional hours was Rs 240 per hour after the first 12 hours.
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