Tejas Navale

Pune: The Municipal Corporation's ambitious paid parking policy (Pay and Park) has come to an end as the contract, trialled at four locations, has expired recently. The contractor of the municipal corporation has decided not to continue with the scheme, informing the municipal corporation through an official letter. This decision follows a series of unaddressed challenges, including officer inaction, political opposition, police non-cooperation, and increased public fatigue.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has decided to launch this innovative scheme in the city, considering the issues of traffic control, fuel savings, efficient use of public transport, and the personal benefits of it. However, within three years, the municipal corporation found itself compelled to shut down the scheme.

Each passing year, the number of vehicles within the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation limits is increasing along with the population. According to the estimates, currently, 30 lakh people have been residing in the city, whereas the number of vehicles stands at around 24 lakh. In just the last three years, fifty four lakh new vehicles have been added.

After a review of this souring problem, the city administration decided to implement the 'Pay and Park' scheme for private vehicles at around 80 places in the city in the first phase. However, the implementation of the scheme started on July 1, 2021, in only 20 places. Five towing vans were also provided to the traffic police. However, the scheme did not work out. Within a few months, Nirmala Auto Care, a contractor for the scheme, withdrew from 'Pay and Park', which was being implemented at 16 out of 20 locations, saying that it could not afford the work in view of the expenditure on income and staff.

Therefore, at present, the scheme has been operationalized on an experimental basis only at four places in Chinchwadgaon Chapekar Chowk, Saint Mother Teresa Flyover, Nashik Phata, and Nigdi Flyover. Now, after the refusal of the contractor to continue the work, the city has decided to temporarily wrap up the scheme.

It is said that due to political opposition, the municipal administration also did not emphasise the implementation of the policy. The police also refrained from taking action against vehicles for no-parking. Further, citizens' refusal to pay fines also led to many arguments. Distressed by it, the contractor has finally decided to withdraw from the scheme.

While speaking on it, Bapusaheb Gaikwad, the Executive Engineer of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, said that the paid parking policy was strongly opposed by the citizens. Even the police did not cooperate. Therefore, after the expiry of the scheme, which is running at four places, the contractor has expressed his unwillingness to continue the scheme. In the wake of this, the municipal corporation has temporarily decided to halt the scheme until we can find some alternative solution to it.