Pune: The civic body is looking to finally start the much-delayed street pay-and-park project, with Laxmi Road and in Vimannagar proposed for the first phase.The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has tabled a proposal before the standing committee for approval, which is expected to take a call on it later this week.A total of six roads were identified by the administration for the initial phase of the project. The other roads include FC Road, JM Road, Balewadi High Street and Bibwewadi Road. Civic officials said the project would be extended to the remaining roads in subsequent phases.The administration has proposed hourly parking charges for two- and four-wheelers on these roads. Contractors appointed for a period of three years will collect the charges — Rs 4 per hour for a two-wheeler and Rs 20 per hour for a four-wheeler — and will also be responsible for maintaining the roadside parking areas.The pay-and-park project has been under discussion for several years. PMC’s general body approved the project, along with the parking policy, in 2018, to prevent haphazard parking on city roads. However, the project was not implemented.In the past few months, the civic administration has made a fresh attempt to launch the project on a pilot basis on at least five to six roads. After the standing committee gives its approval, the proposal will be referred to the general body for final approval, paving the way for implementation on the selected roads.Sources in the civic administration said that although the project appears ambitious, it failed to generate the expected response from contractors, with very few participating in the bidding process. The subdued response prompted PMC to restart the tendering process to appoint contractors a couple of months ago. The civic body subsequently revised some tender norms related to the installation of digital boards at parking areas, uploading of dynamic data and providing live updates on a website. The standing committee will examine all aspects of the proposal, including the overall cost of the tenders, before granting final approval.Vehicle users want better parking, action against haphazard parkingRegular commuters and vehicle users have said the civic administration has not done enough to improve parking facilities across the city. Common complaints include a lack of designated parking lots, haphazard parking along roadsides and on footpaths and ineffective use of open spaces.Vikas Joshi, who frequently travels on Laxmi Road, said imposing charges for roadside parking could help the administration regulate vehicular movement. “Authorities, however, should simultaneously take strict action against haphazard parking.”Suraj Dhamale, who runs a shop in Shukrawar Peth, said Laxmi Road is an ideal location to assess the effectiveness of the pay-and-park system. “Many vehicles are parked throughout the day on Laxmi Road, which amounts to a misuse of roadside space. Charges should be imposed for roadside parking,” he said.
