THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility at Thampanoor, in front of the Central Railway Station, will be thrown open to the public in the second week of February. The construction of the five-storey facility is progressing swiftly, and the city corporation expects to complete the entire project by the end of January.
Although the facility is primarily for two-wheelers, there will be slots for cars as well. Besides, there will be exclusive parking slots for vehicles driven by women, as part of ensuring their safety. The project is being undertaken by Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) under the Smart City Mission project.
Corporation secretary Binu Francis told TNIE, “The facility is focused more on two-wheelers, as we have discovered in a study that most passengers prefer to travel on two-wheelers and their parking is less complicated compared to four-wheelers,” he said.
MLCP can accommodate 400 two-wheelers and 22 four-wheelers at a time. It also has an internal and external electrical installation, a fire alarm, and a fire-fighting system with a sump. However, this will not be an automated facility. The cost of the project is Rs 18.89 crore.
Meanwhile, SCTL is re-tendering the work of fully automating the MLCP located behind the Saphalyam complex at Palayam. The local body has also invited tenders for the MLCP proposed at the Putharikandam Maithanam. The two projects are being carried out based on the engineering procurement-contract model. The SCTL had to re-tender the project at Palayam as the first company that was chosen had withdrawn after their demand for more money following the delay caused by the Covid pandemic was turned down by the SCTL.
A corporation official said the proposed MLCP project at Putharikandam Maithanam, which comes under the AMRUT scheme, was dropped earlier, as they couldn’t do the piling process as the underground was filled with mud.
A similar MLCP is also proposed at medical college. However, the authorities remain unaware of the project update. At the same time, the MLCP inside the corporation’s main office is operational. A new MLCP is also proposed behind the Connemara market at Palayam.
Project cost Rs 18.89 cr
The cost of the project is Rs18.89 crore. The facility also has an internal and external electrical installation, a fire alarm, and a fire-fighting system with a sump. However, this will not be an automated facility.