Parking lots: Public-pvt partnership mooted

LUDHIANA: In order to find some concrete solutions to the two major problems faced by cities in the state — lack of solid waste management and traffic congestion — the local bodies minister had called a meeting of the municipal corporation mayors and commissioners.
According to available information, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia has called a meeting of MC mayors, commissioners and deputy directors of the department on February 10 to discuss issues like solid waste management and construction of parking lots on public-private partnership (PPP) mode for reducing traffic congestion in cities.Sources revealed that while the department is in a mood to impose charges for lifting of garbage from door to door through private companies, in order to ensure imposition of charges does not cause burden to the residents the department wants to build consensus amongst civic bodies.
Similarly, the idea of encouraging private landowners to construct parking lots under the ‘commercial viable parking scheme' would also be discussed in the meeting. Under the scheme, the minister has proposed that if any private individual comes forward for construction of multi-storey parking on his land then the state government would exempt all duties including house tax, change of land-use, building plan fees, etc.
Government hopes that with introduction of this scheme, private land lying vacant at prime locations could be utilized in a good manner and traffic congestion in cities could be reduced to an extent.
Senior deputy mayor Praveen Bansal said decisions to be taken during the meeting would help solve major problems faced by the city residents.