Mumbai: BMC fails to revive valet parking facility at Dadar despite good response

Mumbai: The BMC has failed to revive the Valet parking facility in Dadar after its sudden closure in mid-July last year. The officials of G North has turned a deaf ear to several request, complained the traders.

So the Dadar Vyapari Sangh (DVS) has now brought this to the notice of civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal and has blamed the civic officials apathy to reconsider the facility.

To curb the menace of traffic congestion, a digitised valet parking facility was started at Kohinoor public parking lot (PPL) in Dadar. The facility was an initiative of the traders from the DVS in consultation with BMC. But even after the good response, the valet service that started on May 19 was shut down in mid-July.

Sunil Shah, chairperson of DVS said, "Being a shopping hub the Dadar area is always crowded with people. So such parking facilities would be convenient for the shoppers and will also reduce the traffic congestion in the area. A little cooperation from the G North ward office would have helped to revive the facility. But our several request to the ward office were turned down."

Valet parking facility 'was benefiting shoppers'

Deepak Devrukhkar, secretary of DVS said, "The facility was benefitting the shoppers coming to the Dadar market. Earlier we shelled out Rs 5 lakhs for hiring drivers, supervisors and developing a mobile application which digitalised the process with the hope that BMC would eventually finance it which did not happen. People coming to shop still request us to start the facility again. Some people are also avoiding shops, since they have to park their car far away."

Civic chief Chahal and Prashant Sapkale, assistant commissioner did not respond to the calls. The facility allowed motorists to leave their car at Dadar Plaza and the driver of the facility would park it at Kohinoor PPL. Motorists would be charged ₹100 for parking their vehicle for four hours.