TS Govt to rope in private plot owners to create more parking space

Hyderabad: Telangana Government has decided to permit owners of the private plots to convert their open and vacant lands for off-street parking facilities. 

With the addition of nearly 700 vehicles on roads, Hyderabad city has been facing severe crunch for parking space. Since establishment of multi-level parking lots is a time consuming process, the State Government has decided to optimize parking places in urban areas and efforts are on to utilize the available open areas which can be used for parking, thereby reducing the pressure of space and congestion on roads. 

Municipal Administration Minister K Tarakarama Rao, in a recent meeting with the newly appointed Principal Secretary MAUD Arvind Kumar, has expressed concern over lack of proper parking places and that there is an immediate need to operationalize GO Ms 187 dtd 7/7/17. 

Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar reviewed in detail the parking policy. The GO among others emphasizes off street parking lots. More specifically provision talks about development and use of private open plots for the purpose of parking facility. 

The individual plot owners shall obtain necessary license from GHMC and it will be a revenue generating activity for such plot owners wherein they collect parking fee at the rates as determined by GHMC. In that sense, it is a win-win situation where in the open plots, especially those near roads/malls/commercial areas and institutions are used for parking lots and thereby bringing in more parking lots and reducing stress on roads and preventing haphazard roadside parking and at the same time will also bring revenue to those plot owners. 

The State Government has accordingly decided to invite proposals from owners of the private plots for conversion of their open and vacant lands for off-street parking facilities on the lines as mentioned above. 

Additional Commissioner GHMC (estates and Housing) G. Ramesh is appointed as the designated officer for this purpose. All interested plot owners should get in touch with him at his Mobile number 9949546622 or can be contacted at acestateshousing@gmail.com. 

Upon receiving the requests, the GHMC will examine the feasibility of such locations in terms of likely traffic and licenses for the useful eligible sites shall be issued on a short term basis  ( 3 or 6 months or for a year) and rates of parking fee will be prescribed which will have to be followed. A license fee will have to be paid by such owners. 

Kumar said there was an urgent need to create more parking space and government is in the process of finalizing at least 10 Multi-level car parking in the city. Parking lots will also be developed both by government agencies and private developers on public private partnership model.