National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) yesterday launched a new project. Related with parking facilities on Ludhiana elevated highway from Samrala Chowk to city municipal boundary near Ferozepur Road on NH-05, the project under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has been led by MP Rajya Sabha Sanjeev Arora.
Arora had pointed out that he had suggested parking facilities as there was a demand from local businessmen on both sides of the elevated road and they felt that there was a crying need for some designated parking for vehicles. The NHLML, an NHAI special purpose vehicle, floated a tender the day after hearing Arora’s appeal, and it will be open for bidding by developers till December 11.
The elevated highway will have 14 parking zones, with the capacity to accommodate up to as many as 750 vehicles. Some of the key areas where these parking zones will be located are Bharat Nagar Chowk, DC Office, Bhai Bala Chowk, Park Plaza, Novelty, Nagpal Regency, Aarti Chowk, Maharaja Regency, Kaka Marriage Palace, Malhar Road, PAU Gate 1, PAU Gate 2, Jagdish Store, and Sidhwan Canal.
Arora said this parking facility would decongest cities and facilitate movement-the three ESRCs must indeed work in concert with the NHAI to really provide for better mobility of commuters. He said he discussed the proposal with the NHLML Chairman Vinay Kumar only the other day, who has given in principle consensus on the parking project.
He recognized that the local MLA, Gurpreet Gogi, was a force behind this initiative and said it would give a boost to local businesses due to more footfalls. He said he is hoping that when it is complete, it will benefit commuters as well as the business community.