Capital parking to turn \'smart\'

Thiruvananthapuram: After years of impasse, the multilevel parking project at Thampanoor - one of the busiest part of the city - is finally taking off. The Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd has finally invited tenders for implementing the project worth Rs 16 crores. According to officials, this would be the first smart parking lot in the state capital as the authorities are planning to develop an online app to alert the commuters on the availability of the parking space.

The plan is to construct a multi-level two-wheeler and car parking-cum-commercial complex at Thampanoor. According to officials, the project comprises five floors with ground floor for four wheeler parking and the first, second and third for two-wheeler parking and fourth floor for commercial spaces.

The project has been taken up under the Smart Cities Mission Program of the Centre. According to officials, the pre-bid meeting has been scheduled to be held on Thursday. "The technical bid of the project would be opened on November 23.

The contractor would have to finish the project within 18 months from the date of awarding of the work," said the official.

The civic body had shut down for several months now to facilitate the work. "This financial year we didn't tender the parking lot because of the smart city project. We are also planning to invite another tender to develop another application to alert the commuters on the space availability at the lot," said the official.

Currently, the lack of parking space is causing a lot of trouble for commuters arriving at Thampanoor, which houses the railway station, bus station etc.