As part of it’s initiative to resolve the parking crisis in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is planning to build 54 parking lots under neighbourhood parks run by the municipal corporation.

While the civic body will be taking up 12 residential pockets in the first phase, which is expected to take off in February, there will be special emphasis on parks that are given out by the civic body for weddings and social gatherings. Of the 14,000-odd parks maintained by the municipal corporation, around 750 are given out for such functions.

Areas identified for the first phase include colonies and neighbourhood markets in Rohini, Green Park, Hauz Khas and Pitampura.

According to Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta, the parking lots are being planned as part of infrastructure to be developed as per the requirements of the new Master Plan. “We have collected about Rs 150 crore as conversion charges, paid by local shopkeepers along stretches notified for commercial use,” he said.

After the Urban Development Ministry notified 2,183 residential stretches for commercial and mixed land use, shopkeepers in these areas were supposed to submit conversion charges till September 2007 for the provision of adequate parking, sewage and water supply facilities.

These parking lots have been planned on the lines of basement parking lots built under shopping malls and movie theatres and will not be automated at all.

The civic body will soon float tenders inviting private contractors for these lots. “Green spaces will have to be restored to their original form after construction and the municipal corporation will run them on private contracts, similar to surface parking lots managed by us,” Gupta said.

Once the parking lots are built, residents booking these parks for private functions, will also have to shell out additional parking charges as part of the security and booking amount paid to the municipal corporation.

As the initial crackdown on unauthorised construction and farmhouses being used illegally to host weddings by the Delhi High Court in 2005 was based on the absence of basic facilities like parking, Gupta believes the new initiative will be a definitive step.