The government will implement the ‘Comprehensive Integrated Parking Management Project’ in Chennai by creating underground, multi-level parking facilities and on-lane smart parking under PPP mode to accommodate two lakh four wheelers and two lakh two wheelers at a cost of ₹2,000 crore.

Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation will provide funding support, said deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

However, transport policy experts have opposed the move, claiming that there is no need for spending money on developing such infrastructure in addition to public private partnership (PPP) projects.

They have pointed to low occupancy in multi-level parking lots in many cities.

The civic body is set to launch a parking management system next week under PPP mode in areas such as Anna Nagar, Marina Beach and Purasawalkam.

“In Anna Nagar alone we have identified 2,000 parking slots in a few roads. More stretches will be identified shortly,” said an official.

The vehicular traffic has increased by about 9% year over year in the last two decades in Chennai. This has led to haphazard parking and traffic congestion in many parts of the city.

Chennai Corporation has already adopted a non-motorised transport policy (NMT), developing projects for NMT infrastructure.

In addition, the civic infrastructure developed in the past few years has ranged from street improvement, cycle tracks and footpaths improvement.