COIMBATORE: Parking woes to continue in the ‘shortened’ DB Road on RS Puram as the inauguration of the multi-level car parking built under the Smart City Project is set to be delayed due to approval issues.
The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) had finished constructing a 4-storey multi-level car parking facility on the DB Road in RS Puram under the Smart City Project mission at a cost of Rs 41.67 crores in October 2021. Each floor can hold up to 80 cars. So, 320 cars can be parked on the 4 floors. Apart from that, 60 cars can be parked on the ground floor, increasing the tally to 380 cars. The facility comprises 5 smart lift racks to park the cars. Also, a two-wheeler parking facility will be set up outside, opposite the multi-level car parking building after the latter’s inauguration, said the officials.
Being a State government project, the CCMC had taken all measures to make sure the facility is opened at the right time without any issues by obtaining approvals and permissions from all the departments, said the sources adding that the TNFRS (Tamil Nadu Fire & Rescue Service) Department officials inspected the facility and provided the NOC certificate. The Revenue department officials too inspected the building, the land and gave away an acknowledgement certificate ensuring the land belongs to the CCMC, sources said.
However, when the CCMC applied for obtaining a permanent electricity connection for the facility, the TANGEDCO had refused to provide the electricity connection citing the lack of a ‘building completion certificate’ from the Local Planning Authority (LPA). Owing to the commotion, the inauguration of the facility is set to be delayed, increasing the parking problems on DB Road in RS Puram. “The Civic body which demands people to take permission from the LPA 30 days prior to starting the construction, has failed to obtain the clearance for their very own project. Also, the clearance is being delayed as the building that was supposed to leave 6 metres of mandatory space outside, but has only left 3 metres” added the sources.
CCMC Deputy Commissioner, Dr M Sharmila said “The multi-level car parking facility will be opened soon. We have sent the documents to the DTCP (Directorate of Town and Country Planning) Head Quarters in Chennai through LPA to obtain clearance. We are expecting to receive it in the next few days. Once things are sorted out, the facility will soon be ready for public use.”