Soon, South Bombay will get its first public underground multi-level robotic parking at Flora Fountain in Hutatma Chowk. This move is being planned to ease the issue of parking near the Mumbai High Court area and the adjoining premises. Let’s know more about this new parking facility in South Bombay.
Underground Multi-Level Robotic Parking
As per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), this underground multi-level robotic parking will have the capacity of 194 cars. This capacity is said to be four times the capacity of the existing parking area. The plan states that the underground parking facility will have four underground levels.
Being constructed at a cost of INR 200 crores, the underground robotic parking comes at a high cost, but will definitely solve the issue of parking. The automated lift will lift the cars and allow them to enter the parking area. The retrieval time for vehicles in the multilevel parking system will be around three minutes.
The existing site has a 12-meter access road on its western side and a 7-meter access road on the eastern side. Vehicles will enter from the eastern side and exit from the western side. Former BJP Corporator Makarand Narwekar stated that its important for the parking area to have electric charging points for electric vehicles.
Hutatma Chowk area is known for its plenty of important government buildings and high-end stores. The recently shut Zara store was also located right opposite to Flora Fountain. This location houses the Bombay High Court and the headquarters of the State Bank of India (SBI).
About Flora Fountain
The Flora Fountain is one of Mumbai’s most iconic landmarks. It features a statue of the Roman Goddess Flora. The fountain was entirely made in England and then transported to India. Its four corners each represent the four seasons personified by four allegorical figures. Richard Norman Shaw is credited with designing the fountain while James Forsythe is credited with sculpting his vision.
Summing Up
With Mumbai’s streets becoming more and more car-centric, it is no surprise that the city is facing a parking crisis. Pair it up with Mumbai’s dug-up roads and you have rampant congestion and space issues, as well as life-threatening air pollution. The move to introduce an underground parking system is a strategic one to clear more on-ground space for pedestrian and vehicular movement. What do you think about this ambitious plan?
