Pune: In a bid to address long-standing issues of overcharging, mismanagement, and chaos at civic parking lots in public places, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is taking decisive steps to appoint new contractors for 12 identified locations. The move comes after receiving numerous complaints from citizens about exorbitant fees, rude behavior by the previous operators, and illegal parking of vehicles outside the designated parking spaces.
The contracts of the 12 civic parking lots were terminated a few months ago to pave the way for a more efficient and citizen-friendly parking system. The PMC is now in the final stages of selecting new contractors to operate these parking lots, situated at public attractions such as the Katraj zoo, Sarasbaug, PL Deshpande garden, and other strategic locations across the city.
To ensure transparency and prevent overcharging, the new contractors will be required to display clear and prominent details of the parking charges at the entry and exit points of the parking lots. Additionally, the information will be displayed at strategic locations within the premises, providing citizens with a convenient and hassle-free parking experience.
One of the key initiatives planned by the administration is to enhance the CCTV network at each parking facility to improve monitoring and security. The introduction of advanced surveillance systems will not only deter misbehavior and unauthorized parking but also contribute to overall safety within the parking premises.
The PMC has received limited responses during the tender process for some locations, prompting them to call for new applications to attract potential contractors. The objective is to ensure that only qualified and reliable operators are chosen to manage the parking facilities and provide top-notch services to the public.
Citizens have expressed their expectations for an improved parking system and have suggested specific improvements. For instance, visitors to the Katraj zoo have emphasized the need for multiple parking lots to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles, especially on weekends. At the Mandai parking facility, senior citizens have urged the provision of lifts or dedicated parking spaces on the ground floor to cater to their needs.
