The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Parking regulations become tougher

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Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008
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Parking regulations become tougher

Staff Reporter

BDA issues gazette notification to this effect

Provision for multi-level parking area in the new norm
BDA to seek assistance from police commissionerate

BHUBANESWAR: Parking area norms for upcoming shopping malls have been made more stringent with Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) deciding to enforce earmarking of 60 per cent of the total commercial space for parking purposes.

“According to 2001 parking norm, commercial establishments used to earmark 30 per cent of total commercial space for parking purposes. But hence forward, they will have to increase the area to minimum 60 per cent,” BDA Vice Chairman Nikunja Behari Dhal said.

A gazette notification to this effect was just issued by BDA. The city regulatory woke up to the traffic nightmare recently when two to three big malls came up in central Bhubaneswar without having adequate parking area.

When Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited (PRIL) launched its second largest store of the country at Sahid Nagar here with a total floor area over 58,000 sq ft recently, traffic from Vani Vihar Square could not move smoothly on Janpath Road. This happened because the group allegedly did not keep 30 per cent of space for parking as mandated in the previous norm.

Even though BDA authorities had served notice on PRIL, there had not been any improvement in parking space. Similarly, Forum Mart, the first multi-storeyed shopping mall in the capital city, has also been posing challenge to traffic management as it has not dedicated adequate space for parking.

Another mall on Bidyut Marg is located right on the main road connecting Airport to Infocity. Cars and two wheelers could be seen parked on the road itself.

In the new norm, BDA has for the first time made provision for multi-level parking area. It was likely to help developers to find space to devote it for parking purposes, Khirod C. Satpathy, associate planner with BDA, said.

Moreover, BDA Vice-Chairman announced that it would seek assistance from police commissionerate to vacate basements, which were being used for non-parking purposes.

“The basement is meant for parking. But it has been noticed that most of the commercial establishments in the city have either converted it into shops or are conducting coaching classes. If these basements are vacated, the parking woes would be addressed up to some extent,” BDA Vice-Chairman said.

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