It is about a month now, that we are continuously
reading about Parking Problems in PCMC area.
Citizens have made forum to pressurise the
Commissioner. The commissioner has said
that he will take required action etc. What
is the actual problem? As I think, media
is talking about multiple issues. Let us
examine the same.
One issue is about converting parking spaces
like basements, stilts, which are reserved
for parking, or approved exclusively for
parking, into shops, offices, storage, serving
area for restaurants etc. Since this space
is being utilised for other purposes than
parking, space for parking vehicles falls
short, and therefore vehicles of these establishments
are parked outside on road, which in return
cause congestion of traffic. Unauthorised
use of these parking places must stop. PCMC
could demolish unauthorised use, as per
provisions in building bye-laws. Mr Atul
Goel, during PBAP s meeting with the commissioner,
voiced the same feeling.
Second issue seems to be about Builders
charging their flat holders for the parking
spaces, in residential buildings. HC in
recent judgement seems to have passed orders,
that parking can not be sold. Detailed judgement
is not in my hands. I am therefore not aware
of the circumstances, under which such orders
were passed.
But for argument sake let us take a look
into this aspect. Parking spaces are normally
provided on open Ground, near the building
or in marginal open spaces around the building.
This is called
open parking. Parking
spaces are also provided in basements or
under stilts. Some Builders are providing
multistorey parking, by dedicating one or
more upper floors for parking, elaborately
connected by concrete ramps. DEVI ORCHID
is one such building having 3 floors of
parking, on Bhau Patil Road, at Bopodi.
ICC- DEVI GAURAV is another building with
3 floors of parking, under construction
on Mumbai-Pune road, in Pimpri. These spaces
are called
covered parking.
Open parking, even if FSI free does cost
some expenditure, which may be in form of
providing hard paving, providing proper
slopes to drain away water, lighting for
visibility etc. In spite of this expenditure,
builders normally do not charge for open
parking. Open parking is provided free.
Open parking is meant for members as well
as for visitors.
Providing closed parking is different ball
game altogether, and is very costly affair.
RCC structure is to be erected for making
provision for parking. Parking floor has
every thing, floor, roof slab, tiling, drain,
lighting, motor-able access etc. What are
probably left out are side walls, and windows.
Very often, side walls/ windows are also
provided by some decorative material (like
Aluminium louvers etc) to keep up aesthetics
of the building. More than half of the space
is taken away by drive ways and ramps. Minimum
space allocated for one car park is about
5 M x 3 M. Adding equivalent area for drive
ways, minimum space for one car park will
come to 30 Sq Mts or 325 Sq ft. Not considering
any cost for land (because of free FSI)
construction cost of this area will cost
much more. Builders, even if they sell parking,
do not even recover construction cost of
covered parking.
Media news is misnomer when they mention
that PMC does not charge anything by way
of property tax. PMC does charge property
tax on covered parking spaces. Societies
do also charge separately for maintenance
on parking.
Asking for free covered car parking from
Builders will be gross injustice to them.
Easier way for Builders is to jack up the
price proportionately on all the flats,
and not charge for parking separately. But
that will be harsh on and discriminative
to the flat owners who do not require parking,
or require fewer parking spaces than another
flat owner. Charging separately for parking,
infact, helps senior citizens and retired
service people.
Another argument, which we normally hear
from the elected members (Nagar Sevaks),
is that since Parking is not counted in
FSI, no parking charges be levied by the
commercial establishments, Multiplexes etc.
Besides heavy construction cost of providing
parking facility, the establishment has
also to spend continuously on cleanliness,
lighting, watch & ward, and security arrangements
like providing CCTV, BMS systems. Due to
terrorist threat, apart from metal detectors,
each and every vehicle is supposed to be
checked on entry. All this is quite expensive.
Pay and Park also keeps check on unwanted
people and vehicles. There are instances,
where stolen vehicles are left in these
parking. Due to security provided on site,
these instances come to be known in reasonable
time. Charging for parking in commercial
establishments is therefore inevitable,
and be taken in right perspective. The amount
charged for parking is of course debatable.
Providing free parking is a court matter.
I think issue is also pending before SC.
It is unnecessary for PMC and PCMC to waste
their time on this provision, as they have
many other important issues to tackle.
