The multi-level parking facility opposite Buddha Smriti Park appears to be the only solution to the chaos on the roads leading to Patna Junction because the primary cause of congestion is illegal parking.

An ambitious Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) — the agency responsible for the construction of the parking facility — had planned to inaugurate the complex on May 6 (Buddha Jayanti) or mid-May though the official deadline was July 31. But the contractor responsible for the construction of the facility — Parasnath Developers Limited — missed the revised deadline because of stone chips crisis following cap on illegal mining. Now, motorists would be able to park their vehicles at the multi-level facility near Buddha Smriti Park earliest by July 31 — the deadline to finish the project.

“The contractor responsible for the construction of the facility — Parasnath Developers Limited — has been instructed to complete the work within the deadline of July 31,” a senior BUIDCo officer told The Telegraph on Tuesday.

He added: “The progress of work has been slow over the past two months. But Parasnath Developers Limited has assured us that it would complete the entire casting by June 20.”

Asked why the facility was not inaugurated in May, the officer said: “We had intended to complete the work by mid-May but we could not do so because of the acute shortage in supply of stone chips after the strict action against illegal mining activities in the state. At times, we had to stop the work for three to four days because of the low supply of stone chips. This delayed the casting work considerably.”

Once completed, the four-storeyed, fully automated facility adjacent to Buddha Smriti Park would be able to accommodate 320 vehicles at a time. This is expected to clear the roads in the area notorious for haphazard parking.

A source said the multi-level parking facility was being developed at an estimated outlay of over Rs 15 crore. It would have a lateral slope entry and circular exit ramps. The entrance would be from the western side near Budh Marg through the lane adjacent to the erstwhile Pearl Cinema. The exit would be on Station Road, facing Mahavir Mandir. Each floor will have toilets. There would be a terrace garden. People would also have a view of the Buddha Smriti Park from each floor.