NDMC plans online booking for parking lots

The New Delhi Municipal Council is planning to introduce online booking system for parking lots in Dilli Haat and Connaught Place soon. The council has roped in DIMTS to check the technical feasibility of the project.

This is being seen as a move to put an end to the existing chaos in parking lots around the two busy market areas.

Motorists can book their parking lots through the NDMC website. Charges will be applicable on the basis of the parking duration.

“We will first ascertain how many cars each of these parking lots can accommodate. Following this, DIMTS will check which are the parking lots which need immediate technical intervention,” said Jalaj Shrivastava, NDMC chairperson. 

The Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System’s is carrying out the feasibility survey in 99 of the existing 103 parking lots in the NDMC area.

“However, it will not be required to launch online booking for all the lots,” Shrivastava added.

Dilli Haat and Connaught Place are on the priority list as motorists always find it difficult to park their vehicles in these areas.

According to the chairperson, online booking will be one step easier once the entire NDMC area becomes a free wi-fi zone, another project the council is currently working on.
“If you are driving from Vasant Kunj to Connaught Place and you have lunch planned around 2 pm, you can check the status of the parking lots and book a space. Following this, a receipt will be issued. This will be similar to booking a movie ticket in advance,” Shrivastava said.

The council aims to make the NDMC area a free wi-fi zone in the next six months, he added.

The NDMC is also planning to do away with surface-level parking in Khan Market, Dilli Haat/INA market and Sarojini Market and introduce underground parkings in these areas.
“Doing away with surface-level parking is a long-term solution, which can be achieved over three to four years. However, introducing online booking is a short-term solution to relieve these market areas from their current state of chaos,” Shrivastava said.
The council is awaiting DIMTS’s response by March-end, following which the tenders for the project
will be floated, Shrivastava added.
DH News Service.