Chandigarh: After issuing parking pass, the next parking solutions on agenda for the Chandigarh municipal corporation will be introducing the time-bound parking charges and optimising the usage of the multi-level underground parking.In a recent high-level meeting, chaired by UT chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad, the civic body was directed to implement the time-bound parking charges.The time-bound parking charges were to be started under the smart parking system, which so far has not been introduced.Time-bound charges apply to pay-per-use parking in MC-managed paid lots, often with time slabs, e.g., up to 4 hours, 4-8 hours, etc.The MC house earlier passed time-bound charges, but these were linked with the introduction of the smart parking system.Notably, dynamic pricing (higher during peak hours/demand, lower off-peak) has also been under discussion/planned as part of the smart parking project since 2025, and the Chandigarh parking policy.In Jan this year, the MC introduced the ‘MC One Pass’. Initially, a monthly pass was introduced; later, quarterly, half-yearly and annual parking passes were also made available.So far more than 9,000 passes have been availed by the city residents.For four-wheelers, the monthly pass costs Rs 500. The quarterly pass is priced at Rs 1,200, the half-yearly pass at Rs 2,200 and the yearly pass at Rs 4,200, reducing the effective monthly cost to Rs 400, Rs 367 and Rs 350, respectively, and offering a total saving of nearly 30%.Two-wheeler users can opt for a monthly pass of Rs 250, a quarterly pass of Rs 600, a half-yearly pass of Rs 1,100 and a yearly pass of Rs 2,100, bringing the effective monthly cost down to Rs 200, Rs 183 and Rs 175, respectively.Optimising underground parking: penalising wrongly parked vehiclesWith the paucity of parking becoming a major problem, particularly in the busy markets like Sector 17 and Sector 8.The civic body has been directed to optimise the existing operational multi-level underground parking and also make operational existing underground parking, which is currently lying unused.“All necessary strategies to be undertaken for creating awareness about the underground multi-level parking, including installation of adequate signboards at appropriate locations,” the UT has directed the MC.The MC has highlighted the slackness in the enforcement of parking regulations, as people continue to park on pavements and roadside even in busy traffic areas like Sector 17 business district, for the low utilisation of the underground parking facility.The MC has written to the traffic police to stop parking of vehicles on roadside and pavements. “In the recent high-level meeting, the UT chief secretary directed the police department to ensure strict enforcement through penalties for improper parking.
