Hyderabad: The first-ever multi-level parking complex in the capital which was set to come up in Old City six years back has hit a hurdle due to the multi-crore Charminar pedestrian project (CPP).
The parking solution needs to wait until the ambitious pedestrian project is completed. Under the CPP, so far, the laying of tiles from Gulzar Howz to Charminar has been completed while work on the stretch from Charminar to Lad Bazaar is on. Officials say this will continue for a few months. On the other end, work on the stretch from Charminar to Saldar Mahal has been completed but the one from the monument to Mecca Masjid is on.
The five-storey parking complex was proposed to come up at the Charminar bus stand. The complex will include double-cellar parking. Once finished, it will accommodate 300 four-wheelers and an equal number of two-wheelers.
J. Bhadreshwar, assistant commissioner of police at Charminar said: “Hundreds of challans are issued around Charminar by the traffic department. Most the violations are for illegal parking. An average of 50 cars are towed away every day. Unless there is infrastructure for parking, this will continue."
Citizens in the area are upset that the parking complex is taking this long. “Every day, there are changes. It's affecting our livelihood," says Mustaq Ahmed, owner of Shams hotel. “Why was the work stopped midway? If the parking complex was taken up when it was proposed in 2011, it would have been completed by now,” he added.
The GHMC insists the complex is under active consideration. “Tenders for two multi-level complexes have been called. A meeting will be held with the contractors on the work,” Ashwini Kumar, superintendent engineer of GHMC said.
