Mangaluru City Corporation’s multi-level car park not so smart about finances

  • | Tuesday | 17th July, 2018

However, after Mangaluru city was selected under the Smart City Mission, the MLCP project has been included in it. The documents for bidding will be available on July 24.The project of MLCP was planned through Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (Muda). Another startling fact is that Mahe MLCP has 2.5 lakh sq ft space and MCC’s MLCP is just two lakh sq ft!The MCC’s MLCP is a ground plus eight-storied structure that can only accommodate 375 to 400 cars and 100 two-wheelers. However, the Mangaluru City Corporation MCC ) has been toying with the idea since two decades, and it’s still in the tender process.Interestingly, MCC’s multi-level car parking (MLCP) complex at Hampankatta under the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) for 375-400 cars and 200 two-wheelers parking, plus eight commercial spaces, costs a whopping Rs 94 crore! MANGALURU: The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Mahe) built a ground and three-storied 700-car and 500 two-wheeler parking space within two years at a cost of Rs 25 crore.

MANGALURU: The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Mahe) built a ground and three-storied 700-car and 500 two-wheeler parking space within two years at a cost of Rs 25 crore. However, the Mangaluru City Corporation MCC ) has been toying with the idea since two decades, and it’s still in the tender process.Interestingly, MCC’s multi-level car parking (MLCP) complex at Hampankatta under the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) for 375-400 cars and 200 two-wheelers parking, plus eight commercial spaces, costs a whopping Rs 94 crore! Another startling fact is that Mahe MLCP has 2.5 lakh sq ft space and MCC’s MLCP is just two lakh sq ft!The MCC’s MLCP is a ground plus eight-storied structure that can only accommodate 375 to 400 cars and 100 two-wheelers. Interestingly, sources say that most of the car sparking space is likely to be gobbled up by the commercial establishments which will also be housed in the same structure, leaving others having to park beside the road. Finally, it will not be a surprise, if the whole MLCP is converted into a commercial space, say people who are in the know of the project, defeating the objective of the whole exercise.This MCC’s “mega’’ project’s tender , in spite of the mega costs, got only one bidder, and the contract was not awarded. The MCC invited fresh tenders on July 14 for the ‘design, build, finance, operate and transfer of MLCP.’ The construction period is three years. The documents for bidding will be available on July 24.The project of MLCP was planned through Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (Muda). However, in 2014, a council meeting of the MCC decided to implement the project on its own through PPP. However, after Mangaluru city was selected under the Smart City Mission, the MLCP project has been included in it. MCC has nearly 155 cents of land in the busy Hampankatta area.A person closely associated with the Mahe project says, Manipal MLCP is a bare bone structure and the same in Mangaluru should not cost much. “About 40% of the cost is for the foundation. Even if commercial spaces are there, Rs 94 crore is exorbitant,’’ the person says and wonders whether public, who are not customers would get parking space at that MLCP.The proposal to construct MLCP was mooted after a city bus stand at Hampankatta was demolished and the KSRTC bus stand was shifted to Bejai two decades ago. The MLCP project will be implemented under public – private – partnership (PPP) mode by the MSCL and the authorities are planning to complete the project within three years.When told about the disparity in car parking and project costs when compared to MAHE MLCP, MSCL director and senior corporator M Shashidhar Hegde said he would talk to the MCCC commissioner and see what changes could be done, considering MCC MLCP costs four times the cost of MAHE MLCP - but can accommodate only half the number of vehicles in spite of having twice the number of floors.

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