Ahmedabad: The smart flap-parking facilities that AMC set up on CG Road after a six-month delay are suffering from teething troubles, with rats chewing cables and causing system failures.The rats live in underground utility ducts laid during the CG Road redevelopment project to avoid repeated digging. The flap-parking system cables have been placed in the ducts.The contractor has initiated efforts to protect the cables from rodents.An AMC official said, “The civic body has planned to install 1,000 smart flap-parking locks for Rs 20 crore. The system consists of locks, cables, and internet lines.”The official said that 250 CCTV cameras will be set up, with one camera monitoring four cars. “Currently, 280 locks have been installed along CG Road. As for other locations, 200 locks are slated for Makarba Road, and over 500 for Science City Road,” the official said. “AMC will install any surplus locks on Rajpath-Rangoli Road.”In 2020, CG Road was redeveloped for Rs 34 crore, during which the underground duct network was laid. “Recently, 20-25 locks went offline after rats chewed their cables,” the official said. “Plans are afoot to encase the cables in protective conduit pipes.”The flap-parking system, meant only for four-wheelers, was rolled out on Tuesday from Stadium Crossroads to Panchvati Crossroads.When a motorist parks in a designated bay, a sensor-activated flap barrier rises to secure the vehicle. The system automatically calculates the parking duration. Parking is free for the first five minutes, after which the fee is Rs 20 per hour.After the motorist scans the QR code and pays the parking fee, the barrier lowers automatically.The system does not accept cash payments. Two-wheelers are prohibited from the smart flap-parking bays. Vehicles parked outside designated bays or in no-parking zones will face punitive action, including wheel-clamping.
