Hi-tech gadgets for parking attendants soon

Patil said that it would be of help in detecting car thefts. Registration and chassis numbers of all stolen vehicles are already registered in a central server. As soon as the number of a stolen vehicle is entered in the PDA,it would alert the police via a central server that the vehicle is a stolen one.

A graded system of parking would be introduced and owners would pay parking charges that would go on increasing every hour. “People may park in different spots of the same parking area after every two three hours to avoid high charges. This practice would be curbed by the use of PDA as the vehicle number and parking lots would already be registered in a central server. If anyone changes the parking place in the same area,the parking attendant would immediately be alerted on his PDA,” he said.

“The system would also ensure 100 per cent accountability on part of the organisation/ person collecting parking charges. Parking attendants usually hand vehicle owners a slip having charges mentioned on it,but vehicle owners doubt the authenticity of the slip and think they are overcharged,” he said.

Patil also said that considerable revenue would be generated once the system is in place. “This money can be spent on things like putting up signs on roads and painting zebra crossings.”

According to the parking policy prepared by the traffic department,the rates and the rules of parking should be put up on boards. Also,in the central commercial district,free parking should be abolished,according to the department.

Customers’ vehicles should be given preference during parking and since the area comprises a huge number of shops,the shopkeepers and salesmen should be requested to use bus and other public transport to commute to the central business district.