A parking lot in Chandigarh. (Express Photo by Jaipal Singh)Provision of two gates in plotted areas, congestion pricing during peak hours, mandatory bus are some of the key features of the parking policy notified by the Chandigarh Administration.
The policy stated that there will be a provision for two gates in plotted development in residential areas which shall be strictly adhered to to provide for maximum parking within plotted premises staff buses will have to be plied by all government/PSU organisations/ industrial/ IT companies with more than 50 employees. Shuttle service will be started by various institutions (i.e. IT Park, Industrial Area, Hospitals, public offices, e.g. Chandigarh Administration etc. to discourage use of personal vehicles).
Also, it states that there should be differential timings for schools/offices among Punjab/Haryana/UT, especially those of Chandigarh Administration will be adopted to reduce the demand for parking.
For commercial areas, the market welfare associations (MWA) will be actively involved in the parking management registered members of Resident Welfare Association (RWA) society will actively enforce all parking laws, including pedestrian/cyclists’ right of way instead of parking cars on footpaths.
Parking on footpaths will be strictly prohibited and civic agencies/police will toe such illegally parked vehicles and a lane should be earmarked for unhindered movement of emergency vehicles — ambulance, fire tenders, police vehicle in all streets from V1 to V5. Similarly, emergency lane shall be marked in all commercial areas as recommended by the Chief Fire Officer.
It was also said that to achieve safe turning for emergency vehicles/fire trucks in residential areas, parking of vehicles up-to 50 metre will not be allowed on all approaches near all types of inter-sections. For this, ‘No Parking zones’ will be clearly demarcated with signages at all such inter-sections.
The policy clearly specified that in areas where adequate parking space is not available, on-street parking on payment basis must be introduced at reasonable safe distance for footpath/cyclists and design of one street parking as per UTTIPEC (Unified Traffic and Transport Infrastructure Planning Engineering Centre Guidelines).
“The design shall be such as to minimize conflict between parking, walking and cycling pick-up and drop facility will be prioritised over parking facilities. However, on-street space must be utilised for the general convenience of users in the following orders of priority that includes pedestrians/cyclists, mass public transit (buses) and related multi-modal integration facilities, emergency vehicles, differently-abled access parking facilities, para transit pick ups & drop, hawker/vendor zone with seating/resting areas,” it was said.
The policy states that community parking for night in each sub-sector shall be created by using neighbourhood commercial and institutional parking lots.
“These facilities to be managed and run as per the guidelines formulated by MC, Chandigarh in association with RWAS,” it was said.
Regarding parking pricing, it was said that it may be decided by Transport Department/ Municipal corporation.
But the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation shall decide on priority for introduction of peak / non-peak hour congestion pricing in all high density parking demand areas, including commercial, institutional, residential and public / semi public areas.
EQUIVALENT CAR SPACE
Parking Norms in Residential areas as per “Notified Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban)-2017”:
Parking norms in Residential (plotted) as follows:-
Below 10 maria: 1 ECS
From 10 maria to below 1 kanal: 2 ECS
From 1 kanal to below 2 kanal: 3 ECS
2 kanal and above: 6 ECS
It was said that the construction of front boundary wall is optional and to facilitate parking and movement of vehicles, two main gates shall be permitted along accessible road in the front boundary wall of the residential buildings.
Stilt parking on ground floor shall be allowed within the permissible ground coverage, FAR and height of the building.