Need for reliable Parking Management System

The implementation of a successful design and controlled parking system is fundamental to the success of the car park operation and property as a whole. Inadequate parking facilities are known to reduce the value of the building, says Arvind Mayar, CEO, Secure Parking Solutions Pvt Ltd. Secure Parking is Australia based international leader in the parking industry with more than 1200 car parks in eleven countries worldwide.

Today we see a mismatch between the number of vehicles and the availability of parking space…

In Mumbai itself 450 vehicles are registered every day. In New Delhi the number is more than 1200 daily. The demand for parking is increasing constantly. In a democracy it is difficult to restrict / ban the use of vehicles. Therefore, the demand has to be managed by increasing the availability of spaces and simultaneously reducing the demand for parking. There is no single solution and the government has to take various measures to manage this. Multilevel and underground facilities are a way to increase availability. The demand for parking can be reduced by encouraging the use of public transport with efficient bus services, metro rail and BRTS.

Another way to reduce the demand is to increase the parking tariff which the Delhi Municipal Corporations are beginning to implement in small steps. The tariff needs to be revised upward steeply as it should reflect the cost of parking infrastructure (land, building). In cities like New York, London, Sydney, taking the car to office in the business district can cost up to $400 per month. The increase needs to be done at a rate that is politically acceptable.

What are the current technologies being used in Parking in India?

The latest international technologies are available in India, either developed indigenously or through multinationals operating in the country. These are car park management systems that include software, dispensers, barriers, payment stations and guidance systems. On the building construction side, stackers, puzzle parkers and robotics are employed depending on the user requirements. In robotic parking systems, cars are moved by lifts and parked in a three dimensional cuboid.

Parking guidance system technology can be based on magnetic loops, infrared and ultrasonic sensors ultra sound or cameras. These can be programmed to indicate parking availability in car parks, on each floor, zones or in individual bays. These can also be programmed to indicate the more frequently used bays and the length of stay in a bay for better utilization and revenue enhancement. A car park fitted with a parking guidance system, helps the driver to locate a parking bay in the shortest time without any manual guidance, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency.