COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has proposed to build three Multi Level Car Parking (MLCP) facilities in the city, including two in Gandhipuram area.
Considering the high number of large commercial stores, rising traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces, the civic body had announced during the budget for Financial Year (FY) 2022-23 that it would construct an MLCP facility on Cross Cut Road near Lakshmi Complex in Gandhipuram at Ward 67 of the Central zone of the city. However, the project couldn’t be executed due to various reasons.
In this situation, the officials revealed that the civic body will be setting up an MLCP facility in Semmozhi Poonga campus, which will likely be constructed on Dr Nanjappa Road in Gandhipuram, once the Coimbatore Central Prison is shifted.
A few days ago, the municipal administration and water supply department released a GO (GO 14) sanctioning Rs 172.21 crore for executing the first phase of the project. It also included the construction of the MLP facility in the park at an estimated cost of `30 crore.
A Senior official from CCMC told TNIE, “As the state government gave nod to the proposal of setting up an MLCP in the Semmozhi Poonga on Nanjappa Road, many civic body officials suggested that the plans to build MLCP on Cross Cut Road should be dropped as two facilities in the same area is not necessary. However, the CCMC Commissioner refused to drop the plans and insisted to go forward with the plans.”
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Prathap said that they haven’t dropped the plans of setting up the MLCP facility on Cross Cut Road as the demand for parking space is more, adding that the two facilities in Gandhipuram will serve different people and will be of great use for the public.
“We have sent proposals to the CMA demanding funds for setting up the MLCP facility on Cross Cut Road and at Raja Street. Each MLCP facility will have the capacity to park about 250 cars and will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. Apart from that, the MLCP in the Semmozhi Poonga campus will have the capacity of parking around 500 cars. Both facilities will be built in this FY and we shall be building one of the 2 facilities using the general funds if the CMA only allots funds for either one of the MLCPs,” he added.
Sources in the CCMC said that all three MLCP facilities will not be constructed like the MLCP facility in RS Puram, instead they will be hydraulic skeletal structures. The MLCP in the Semmozhi Poonga will also cater to the parking needs of the Nehru Stadium, which is being renovated.