Chandigarh will become India’s first city to have only women manage all public parking lots under a ‘smart parking system’ later this month. This will be part of a joint initiative of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and Mumbai-based Arya Toll Infra Limited that has been allotted the Rs 14.78 crore parking contract.
Women attendants will man all parking lots from 7.30 am to 9 pm before men will take over. Women bouncers will be deployed at each parking lot for their safety. The parking attendants will be taught self-defense techniques as well.
Municipal Commissioner Baldeo Purushartha confirmed the scheme that will be of the launched around June 15. There will also be designated ‘pink parking spots’ reserved for women drivers and free valet parking for them.
Arya Toll Infra project coordinator Sandeep Bhora said that Chandigarh is the best city to start the pilot project as it is comparatively safer than other cities. The company will deploy over 200 women while the corporation will provide some employees for the scheme.
Aneet Goyal, a member of a core committee set up for the project, said that women are courteous and they have lot of patience compared to men. “They are good managers too. We want to bring Chandigarh on the world map on the count of women empowerment and that is why this decision…,’’ said Goyal.
“Though, we would have CCTV cameras with 360 degree surveillance but since parking lots are safe haven for eve teasing, we would have women bouncers at each of the parking lot who can keep a check on the bad elements.’’ Goyal said that bouncers will ensure safety of attendants as well as women drivers at parking lots.
Separately, motorists in Chandigarh will able to book parking spaces in advance through a mobile app, which would be launched a day before the new smart parking system starts.
