TIRUCHY: Opened a year ago, the Tiruchy Corporation’s multi-level parking facility on West Boulevard Road had a basic flaw --motorists had no way of knowing whether its 450 car and 800 two-wheeler slots were full, forcing many to drive in, circle the building and exit disappointed.
Stepping in to address the problem, three MSc Electronics students of the Government Arts and Science College in Thuvakudi designed and installed a corporation-funded smart display system that tracks every vehicle entering and exiting and shows real-time availability right at the entrance, bringing much-needed order to one of the city’s busiest parking facilities.
The solution was developed by S Abisheik, K Karthik Raja and M Muthamizhan, all third-year MSc Electronics students, as part of their final-year project under the guidance of L Durga Devi, Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics.
Abisheik said the idea took shape after he read about similar systems used abroad. “A few smart parking facilities in the state have started adopting it, and when we approached the Tiruchy Corporation eight months ago, the then Commissioner -- now Tiruchy Collector -- V Saravanan sanctioned Rs 50,000 for us to build it.
We completed it in three months, and he appreciated us again after assuming charge as Collector,” he said. The smart system uses a Raspberry Pi microcontroller, paired with dual sensors placed at the entry and exit points. The sensors detect each vehicle and automatically increment or decrement the count.
The remaining available slots are then displayed in real time on a digital board at the entrance, giving motorists an instant snapshot of occupancy before they drive in. Durga Devi said the project had won awards as a miniature model, and the students were determined to scale it up for realtime use.
“This is a low-cost, efficient solution. It helps reduce congestion outside the complex, especially during festival seasons,” she said. To prevent downtime, the system has been connected to a 5 kW UPS. The students completed the system for Rs 37,000 and returned the unused Rs 13,000 to the corporation.
“We installed the board with the help of corporation officials a month ago and now it is being maintained by the corporation,” Devi added. College principal P Sathya said the innovation reflected the institution’s commitment to socially relevant research.