CHAPTER 3 PARKING SPACES
No housing scheme is complete without a parking facility and no facility in a
redevelopment proposal is so highly discussed as the car parking. Where a two
wheeler can find live in any corner of a building, difficulty comes when we have to
make room for a big size vehicle apparently called a car. So the usual question
frequently asked is how a car park should be provided in a multiple user
accommodation and what type of parking needs to be installed.
Parking can be done either within the stilt, in the open area, inside the basement or
at the podium level. It could be surface parking, mechanized or stacked. And size
can vary from 2.35m x 4.5m & 2.5m x 5.5m as requirement for the Municipal
Corporation.
Majorly tenants have a particular discomfort for any kind of mechanized parking,
reason being over expenditure in maintenance amount and an unreliable working
mechanism. Nevertheless, it has become a necessity in today’s realty scenario as
the monetary appreciation of any flat would also depend on its parking. So every flat
must have its own reserved parking.
A basement Parking in particular needs to be well ventilated either in the form of
ventilators or mechanical ventilation shafts. This is important for smooth functioning
of the system which may be become inoperative dut to accumulation of moisture on
its mechanical parts. A parking lot should be well accessed too for any kind of
maintenance and service work. At least a 6m column free driveway for
maneuverability needs to be provided with proper entry and exit. A ramp can be
provided as an approach route or nowadays car lifts are installed to accommodate
more parking requirements.
Use of colorful aluminum or pvc designer grills at podium and stilt help in
visually uplifting the aesthetics of the building. An efficient layout, proper allotment,
neat signage’s can improve and upgrade any parking experience.
The Municipal Corporation urges you as a society to three things within the
building premises-one is to collect and compost your wet garbage; two is to collect
your rainwater and utilize it and third is to make arrangement for your four wheel, two
wheelers and guest vehicles inside your own buildings. This is their attempt to keep
obstacle free vehicular & pedestrian movement. But every vehicle sometime or the
other finds its way to unreserved parking space, maybe outside a shop or in any
other premises as temporary guests.
Our government too is taking measures to promote e-vehicles and for this
common charging ports from power providers like TATA, ADANI, BSES are making
way into development. But somehow it will not be viable option specially at the hurry
hour. Also for mechanised parking system it will not be attainable due to dearth of
open spaces.
A lot of money and time is required in making a parking facility. On one hand the
generation next is becoming wiser by opting for stress and hassle free commute like
metro and locals for easy communication and on the other side people buying flats
are compelled to owning a car for its parking. Cities are buzzing with metros and ac
buses to cater to the ease of mobility, travel time thus avoiding traffic snarls. The
mass rapid transport system is the new cool for any hustlers.
May be we should take few lessons from top cities like Hongkong and
Singapore. Here separate parking tower facility is provided comprehensively for few
housing clusters on monthly rental basis, and those with vehicles only can avail this
opprtunity. This keeps the residential living totally devoid of traffic.
Let us hope we live in a realistic world of today wherein the parking facility is
provided only on basis of generic need and not a meager choice of obligation.
Ar. Rashmi Phulkar (Practicing architect, Vile Parle EAST)