Maldives accepts City engineer's parking idea

His innovation requires small space, best suited to places like MG Road

Even as Bengaluru is battling its own parking woes, a technology developed by a City-based engineer to address the issue has been accepted by the Maldives government.

H Raja Simha has a work order from the City Council of Male, Maldives in which he has been asked to make parking facility for 1,950 two-wheelers to begin with and 490 cars.
In a space as less as 10 by 15 feet, Raja Simha’s ‘Two-wheeler multi-level parking’ facility, built at a height of 80 feet, can house at least 80 two-wheelers.

“Even on a place like MG Road, it can be constructed with ease. For, it does not require additional space,” Simha explained. With pillars erected on the pavement and with an occupation of five feet on the road, the model could be set up, according to the inventor.
“For instance, near the Metro station, I will need space only to erect pillars on the pavement. On the road, about five feet space would be occupied. Even as pillars are erected on the pavement, pedestrians can walk under the parking lot,” Simha said.

A ten feet space would be given below the first storey of the lot for pedestrians to walk.
Simha who is among the board of directors of Daewoo Innovative Parking Solutions said it would take about six months’ time to erect the steel fabricated structure. Simha also has a patent for the technology.

Automation

Similar to four-wheeler parking in malls, the system is completely automated. One needs to collect a token from the electronic vending machine at the entrance of the parking facility and park the vehicle on the ground floor shaft.

An automatic computer-based software will help lift the vehicle to a level where there is vacant space and park the two-wheeler there.

When the user wishes to take the vehicle out, the parking token needs to be produced.
The computer enables the system to bring the vehicle down to the ground level. “Typically, across the world, the time consumed is about two minutes to park the vehicle and three minutes to get it back. To look for parking space in MG Road and surrounding areas, it will certainly take more time,” he said adding that it would save time.

Expensive

Simha explained that with the system being completely computer operated, it might be slightly expensive. However, with investors volunteering or the government willing to fund it, it might be a convenient option.