NMC to set up multi-level parking at Ramkund, other sites

Nashik: With the Simhastha Kumbh Mela scheduled to be hled in 2027, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has drawn up plans to develop multiple multi-level parking facilities across the city to tackle the growing parking problem.Civic officials, while talking to TOI, said apart from the already proposed project at Raviwar Karanja, new facilities are being explored near Ramkund and at three to four other locations.Each structure is expected to accommodate 200–300 vehicles, easing congestion in high-density areas and improving traffic flow during the mega religious gathering.“We have already proposed the multi-level mechanical parking project at Raviwar Karanja — at the site where the 60-year-old Yashwant Mandai commercial complex was demolished. One agency has been finalised through the tender process and work will begin soon,” a senior NMC official said.Officials added that Ramkund has been identified as a priority location given its religious significance. “Ramkund is a place on the Godavari river where sadhus and pilgrims take holy dips during the Kumbh. It is also a year-round hub for religious rites and activities. Providing adequate parking here will benefit motorists and tourists alike,” one of the officials said.Apart from Ramkund, two to three more sites are being shortlisted for similar projects. The Raviwar Karanja project, being developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis, will be NMC’s first multi-level parking initiative.The area, surrounded by Main Road, MG Road, Shalimar, Kapad Market and Saraf Bazaar, witnesses heavy rush daily, making parking facilities essential. “This project will serve as a model for other locations,” officials added.Earlier around six year ago, the Nashik Municipal Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (NMSCDCL) had planned mechanical parking projects at Sita Gumpha in Panchavati and at Yashwant Mandai. However, poor response to tenders delayed the plan, and the projects were eventually scrapped. The civic body later revived the project at Raviwar Karanja, which is now expected to be operational before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela begins next year.Officials said the focus is not only on expanding horizontal parking but also on developing vertical mechanical structures that maximize space utilization.