Chennai: CUMTA moots app-based on-road parking in 10 areas

CHENNAI: With haphazard parking continuing to be a major problem on Chennai roads, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has proposed to implement an app-based on-street parking system in 10 localities that have been identified as parking clusters.

As per a CUMTA document, the 10 parking clusters are T Nagar, Marina, Anna Nagar, GST Road, Besant Nagar, Parry's, Ashok Nagar, Velachery, Ambattur and Triplicane. Under the project, the transport authority will develop a smartphone application for monitoring the on-street parking spaces and install cameras, besides appointing parking marshals.

Once implemented, CUMTA will collect parking fees from vehicle owners and penalties from violators. No parking zones will be demarcated.

CUMTA has initiated measures to study the market dynamics and technologies available before implementing a parking management system in the city.

The authority has already prepared an Area Level Parking Management Plan for Anna Nagar at the cluster level that includes designated parking areas, no parking zones and an implementation framework, on a pilot basis.

"The proposed parking management system includes a combination of surveillance technology, on-ground workforce, and real-time data processing to create an efficient and transparent system for managing parking in designated areas," the document said.

The parking policy for Chennai Metropolitan Area, which was recently approved by the government, recommends to prepare area-level parking management plans for an extent of around 3-5 sq km within the parking cluster in the CMA, and periodically update them to implement context- specific parking rules and regulations.

"The Area-Level Parking Management plans shall be delineated based on local landmarks, block size, land use, traffic and parking patterns, existing road hierarchy, public transport network and parking demand for the purpose of preparing area-level parking management plans," the parking plan says.

On-street parking will be discouraged on arterial streets, except on service lanes, if present. This is to ensure a smooth flow of traffic. In case of higher demand streets, parking should be designed and provided so as it causes no hindrance to traffic flow.

To encourage off-street parking, the parking plan suggests handing over of Transferable Development Rights for the extent of built-up area provided by the developer for developing a public parking infrastructure within their premises.

It may be recalled that the GCC had prepared a parking policy for 426 sq km within the corporation limit and submitted it to the government a year ago. However, the government declined consent to the policy and directed the CUMTA to include aspects of the GCC's policy to prepare a comprehensive police force for CMA.