MCD parking plans go awry

In July 2007, Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna laid the foundation stone for the proposed multi-level underground parking lot in Kamla Nagar market.

In July 2007, Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna laid the foundation stone for the proposed multi-level underground parking lot in Kamla Nagar market. More than a year on, the MCD is yet to get clearances from other public agencies to get ahead, let alone begin construction work.

But going by the civic body8217;s record that hardly sticks out like a sore thumb, for the municipality8217;s plans include making 24 such multi-level underground parking lots before the Commonwealth Games in 2010. And none of them are anywhere near the starting block as far as beginning construction goes.

An MCD source said the municipality rushed announcement of the project without doing even basic paperwork. 8220;There is a water and sewer line below the park in Kamla Nagar,8221; the source said. 8220;MCD will have to first take permission from the Delhi Jal Board DJB to make the parking lot. Some clearance was also necessary from the DDA.

8220;But since the project was already running behind schedule, the Corporation first laid the foundation and later went to get necessary clearances.8221;

As per MCD schedule, work for nine parking lots was to take off by this March, and the civic body had announced in June that work for all other lots would take off. On ground, though, it8217;s an entirely different story.

Interestingly, Mayor Arti Mehra had flown off to Germany, Italy and Hong Kong a few months ago to study multi-level parking 8212; the expenses came to lakhs, as reported by Newsline on October 1. She had assured that these parking lots would be ready by 2010. But officials of Suvidha Parklift, MCD8217;s consultants for parking projects, said it is 8220;impossible8221; to finish these projects before the Games.

MCD Standing Committee chairman Vijendar Gupta, however, said: 8220;The parking project has nothing to do with the Commonwealth Games 8212; this 2010 is just the target we have set for ourselves. We are hoping that we would complete all work before the Games but too many departments are involved, and there is too much paperwork to be done. So the project is getting delayed.8221;

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Some proposed sites
Main market, Kamla Nagra
Shastri Park, Karol Bagh
Main market, GKII
Greater Kailash-II market
Main market, South Extension
Defence Colony market
Green Park market
Rajouri Garden
Lajpat Nagar
Rani Bagh
PVR Complex, Saket
PVR Complex, Vasant Vihar
Minto Road
Kutub Road, Paharganj