HYDERABAD: India’s first fully automated, ultra-modern multi-level parking (MLP) complex on the busy Nampally Road is set to become operational from Sunday, offering a major solution to the city’s long-standing parking woes.
The 15-floor complex comprises three basement levels and seven upper floors dedicated to parking, providing a total of 10 parking levels. Five additional floors — the ground floor and four upper floors — have been earmarked for commercial activities to ensure the project’s financial viability. The facility can accommodate 250 cars and 150–200 two-wheelers. It also houses two fully equipped cinema theatres and a city-viewing gallery on the 11th floor.
The fully automated MLP system, described as one of the most advanced of its kind globally, will be opened to the public following its inauguration by Hyderabad district in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on January 25. Parking charges are likely to be Rs 30 per hour for four-wheelers and Rs 10 per hour for two-wheelers.
The project has been developed under HMRL’s supervision through a PPP model by Novum on 2,000 square yards of HMRL land under a 50-year concession, with over Rs 100 crore private investment by Harikishan Reddy and others, to be recovered through leasing of commercial spaces.
The MLP uses Germany’s advanced ‘Palis’ technology, a fully automated puzzle parking system and the first of its kind in India. Ranked among the most advanced globally, the facility is equipped with modern ventilation, smoke and heat detection, and fire-fighting systems, including automatic sprinklers.
Sources said the foundation stone for the project was laid in 2018 and it was originally scheduled for completion within a year. However, the project faced delays due to multiple factors, including the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine war, and disruptions caused by attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, which affected the timely shipment of technology components from Europe. As a result, the project cost escalated from Rs 50 crore to over Rs 100 crore.
The automated puzzle parking system operates entirely through sensors, with no human intervention. It classifies vehicles such as SUVs, sedans and small cars and parks them on designated floors, without using pallets, making the process smoother and more efficient than mechanical systems.
Entry and exit terminals are spacious and user-friendly, with flat turntables designed for elderly, women and differently abled users. Vehicles can be placed at any angle, with the platform rotating 360 degrees for proper alignment.
On arrival, users receive a QR code-enabled smart card for parking and retrieval. Swiping the card opens the gate, after which the vehicle is parked on a 5.5-metre turntable. The system scans and parks the vehicle automatically, and returns it after payment, offering a seamless parking experience.