Chandigarh: The Chandigarh municipal corporation is set to invite fresh bids for the operation and management of 89 paid parking sites across the city under a comprehensive technology-driven smart parking system. The proposal is scheduled to come up for approval before the General House on June 29.The civic body plans to award the contract through e-auction on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for an initial period of 10 years, extendable by one year based on satisfactory performance. The move aims to replace the existing manual parking system with a transparent, technology-driven model.The proposal is based on the recommendations of a committee constituted in April to prepare the tender document for the Smart Parking Solution. After holding three meetings between April and June, the committee finalised the draft, which has now been placed before the General House.Under the proposed system, contractors will have to install smart infrastructure at parking sites accommodating more than 50 four-wheelers. This will include boom barriers, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, Fastag readers, CCTV cameras, digital ticketing systems, LED display boards, handheld devices, networking infrastructure, a web-based dashboard and a citizen mobile application.The infrastructure must be operational within 60 days of handing over the sites. A municipal corporation inspection committee will verify the installations before revised parking charges come into effect. Parking slips will be generated electronically through point-of-sale devices, recording the vehicle number and entry time. While digital payments will be encouraged, cash transactions will attract an additional Rs 5 charge.The proposal also includes several commuter-friendly measures. Electric vehicles will enjoy free parking in designated spaces till March 31, 2027, while motorists will get a 10-minute grace period for pick-up and drop-off at most parking lots. Separate free parking spaces have been proposed for persons with disabilities, while basement and multilevel parking facilities will charge Rs 5 less than surface parking for corresponding time slabs. The existing MC OnePass system will continue during the contract period.Conditions for contractorsThe draft contract also prescribes strict service standards. Parking attendants must wear uniforms with fluorescent jackets, identity cards and caps, undergo police verification, and receive salaries through bank transfers along with EPF and ESI benefits. Contractors will be responsible for orderly parking, vehicle safety, maintenance of premises and staff conduct. A detailed penalty structure has also been proposed for violations, while subletting of contracts and unauthorised advertisements will not be permitted.New rates to kick in after smart parking implementedA key feature of the proposal is the introduction of time-based parking charges at most sites. Four-wheelers and commercial three-wheelers will pay Rs 20 for up to four hours, Rs 30 for four to eight hours and Rs 10 for every additional hour, while a 12-hour multiple-entry pass will cost Rs 60. Commercial vehicles will be charged between Rs 35 and Rs 45, and tourist buses and heavy vehicles between Rs 90 and Rs 95 for the first eight hours.The proposed rates are considerably higher than the existing charges of Rs 7 for two-wheelers, Rs 14 for non-commercial four-wheelers and three-wheelers, Rs 28 for light commercial vehicles and Rs 70 for tourist buses and heavy vehicles at most locations.Reconstruction of Sector-8 underground facilityThe MC will demolish and reconstruct the existing muti-level parking near SCO 114-124 (surface plus 2 basements) Sector 8 at cost of Rs 23 crore. The UT urban planning department has finalised the drawings. The existing building is structurally unsafe and requires to be dismantled to construct a new building. The agenda will come up in MC general house meet on June 29.
