Kolkata: Parking spaces across the city will now be divided into five segments — each accounting for roughly 20 per cent of the total — under a new tender policy approved by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
The proposal, cleared at a recent meeting of the Mayor-in-Council, introduces a five-segment formula for allotment of car parking spaces and reduces the share reserved for registered cooperative societies engaged in the parking business from 50 per cent to 20 per cent. The policy was framed following directions of the Calcutta High Court to ensure equal opportunity among bidders in parking tenders.
Under the new system, the total number of parking spaces in a particular area will be divided into five segments — A, B, C, D and E — each comprising approximately 20 percent of the spaces. Of these five segments, one will be reserved for registered cooperative societies and the remaining four will be open to general category bidders. The reserved segment will rotate in subsequent tenders so that the character of reservation changes in alternate tender cycles.
All roads put up for e-tender or e-auction will also be classified into two categories — Premium (X) and Standard (Y). Premium roads will include busy and commercially important stretches, while Standard roads will cover other roads. Newly created parking stretches and those currently under short-term tenders will be placed under the Standard category.
For Premium category roads, bidders — including cooperative societies and general category bidders — must have at least five years’ experience in the car parking business or satisfy the eligibility criteria fixed by the Transport and Traffic Authority (TTA). For Standard category roads, both categories will be eligible to participate as per criteria fixed by the TTA. However, general category bidders will not be allowed to bid for the segment reserved for cooperative societies in that particular tender.
After identification of all parking stretches, the matter will be forwarded to the IT department for formation of suitable lots while maintaining the 20:80 ratio between reserved and open segments. Reserve prices per car space per month will be fixed separately for Premium and Standard categories at the time of each tender or auction.
The new framework replaces the earlier 50:50 reservation system with the five-segment, 20:80 structure for future parking tenders.