Bhubaneswar: To modernise urban parking management and tackle illegal roadside parking, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to develop five smart parking zones across the city.Three of these facilities will come up along the busy stretch between Hatiasuni and Utkal Hospital, also known as Left Parallel Road, while two more will be built beneath Bomikhal and Khandagiri flyovers.The proposed parking lots would be equipped with smart technologies, including geo-fencing, surveillance systems and app-based booking facilities. Through a dedicated mobile application, which an IT firm is currently developing, motorists would be able to check real-time parking availability and reserve slots in advance before reaching the location.The plan entails digital monitoring of each parking space, allowing authorities to track vehicle entry and exit within designated zones. The system is expected to help curb illegal parking and improve traffic management in some of the city’s most congested areas.BMC additional commissioner Kailash Chandra Dash said the earmarked locations would be remodelled to create modern parking facilities. “There will be proper signboards and earmarked lots with barricades and fencing, along with designated entry and exit points. High-end CCTV cameras and sensors would be installed at each parking site,” he said.According to officials, users would need to download the mobile application and select available parking lots displayed on screen. The parking fee has been proposed at Rs 5 per hour for motorcycles and Rs 20 per hour for cars, with one booking slot valid for one hour.Initially, parking facilities would be managed by personnel engaged through private agencies operating the sites. However, BMC plans to gradually shift towards a fully automated and remotely monitored system, reducing the need for on-site manpower.The smart parking initiative comes even as BMC expands conventional parking infrastructure across the city. Recently, the civic body earmarked 36 govt land parcels for development into parking spaces and floated tenders to engage private operators.Under the arrangement, a private agency can manage a maximum of five parking lots against monthly revenue sharing with BMC under an agreement. Except for Smart Janpath parking facility, the newly earmarked sites are spread across different parts of Bhubaneswar to address the growing demand for organised vehicle parking.
