Patna: The multilevel parking facility near Patna Junction will be thrown open for autorickshaws from Thursday in a move expected to ease the traffic mess in the area.
While inspecting the under-construction station road flyover last month, chief minister Nitish Kumar had pointed out the traffic nightmare in the area and had suggested the district administration allow autos to park at the multilevel facility free of cost.
"From tomorrow (Thursday), autos would be parked at the multilevel parking building and no autos can park on the road in front. If anyone is found parking there, they have to pay a fine," said Patna traffic superintendent of police P.K. Das.
The approach road connecting Buddha Marg to the multilevel parking was encroached upon by autos on a 350m stretch. It was impossible for any vehicle to take the road. Now, at least 250 to 300 autos will be able to park on the ground floor of the facility. Even the pre-paid autos would be parked in the same facility.
At present, traffic crawls at the station roundabout because auto drivers park near the roundabout to take passengers who come out from Patna Junction.
Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (BUIDCO) had conceptualised the four-storey, Rs 15-crore parking facility in 2009. The project was handed over to Godrej & Boyce and has been lying almost unused since early 2013. Hardly 30 to 40 vehicles park there on average against the capacity of 480 vehicles. Those managing the facility maintained that the narrow and congested approach road was turning out to be the major hurdle.
Last month, Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal had convened a meeting with auto unions and shopowners of New Market.
"Proper signage would be installed requesting passengers to take autos from the multilevel parking," the DM said on Wednesday. "Tomorrow it would be open for autos but it will take three to four days to become fully operational."
The auto unions welcomed the move, but demanded buses should also not be allowed to take passengers from the station roundabout because it would affect their business.
