Underground public parking facility will help mitigate parking crisis in Thane, says Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

THANE: An underground public parking facility for nearly 250 vehicles constructed beneath the Gaondevi playground will help mitigate the parking crisis in Thane, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday.
Shinde was talking following the inauguration of the facility constructed in close proximity to the Thane railway station in Naupada.

“The project was being planned for several years and has now come to become a reality. The facility will address the parking demand and also retain the identity of the playground that has witnessed political rallies by Balasaheb Thackeray in the past,” he said.
According to officials, the facility will accommodate over 130 cars and 120 bikes at one time.
The parking lot was constructed after scooping out soil from underneath a playground which was later restored in the congested Naupada area of Thane.
Experts said the project, possibly a first for the metropolitan region to be designed by excavating a playground and later reinstating it, could set a template for similar projects in the future in the space-deprived region, experts said.
In addition, Shinde flagged off a few more beautification projects in Thane including the waterfront projects at Kopri, Kalwa and Kolshet along with a revamped traffic island at Wagle estate which is part of his assembly constituency.
“I want to see the face of Thane changing in the coming days. Thane is no different from Mumbai and our city should also have pothole-free roads. We are also working on having cleaner and more public toilets for the city among other facilities. I appeal to residents to also participate and help the corporation to revamp Thane city,” he said.
He also gave a free hand to the commissioner to take stern action on errant officials who fail to show results.