Bhubaneswar, Jan. 23: The regional transport office-I has proposed to construct a three-storey building at its existing office along NH-16 near Acharya Vihar to deal with parking problem. The proposed building will have underground parking facility that will be able to accommodate around 300 vehicles.

The two-storey building has been functioning for the past 30 years without adequate parking space. Visitors are forced to park on the national highway, leading to traffic congestion at Acharya Vihar Square.

"There are times when visitors have to park as far as 150 metres from the office," said Rohit Das, a visitor.

"The number of vehicles in the city has gone up significantly in past decade. As a result, the number of visitors coming to the office everyday has increased. Though we have extended some portion of the building, it's not adequate," said an official.

Around 1,700 visitors come to the office daily for payment of tax, applying for driving licence and vehicle registration. Officials said the proposed building would have a basement in which 300 vehicles could be parked.

In March 2014, the transport department had carved out another RTO zone in the city and opened the new office near Patia to ease the burden on the existing office. But despite that, the RTO-I office still remains overcrowded.

The existing office is also facing space crunch due to the seized vehicles lying on the premises for years.

"We have decided to create free space on the premises by auctioning the seized vehicles. It will not only help us create free space but also generate revenue. We have already auctioned around a dozen seized vehicles," said regional transport officer, Bhubaneswar I, P.K. Mohanty.

Besides, the existing office doesn't have adequate toilets and other amenities. "Visitors have to stand for hours without adequate seating facility," said Mahesh Rana, a visitor.

"There will be adequate toilets, drinking water facility and waiting room for the visitors in the proposed building," said an RTO official.