The extremely car-congested Itanagar has seen the addition of three parking spaces with the inauguration of multi-storied car parking lots at the State Civil Secretariat, ESS Sector, and the APST Bus Station at Ganga Market. Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated these facilities.
The multi-level automated car parking at the Secretariat consists of a 10-storied building with 4 floors in the basement for parking, the ground floor for entry and exit, and an additional 4 floors above ground for parking.
There will be space for 108 cars in 8 towers, and the ESS sector will have space for 143 light motor vehicles across its six floors. The parking at the APST Bus Station will have car parking on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, while the 5th floor is designated for office space for the Station Superintendent of Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Services, Itanagar. A total of eight bus bays are available on the ground floor, and the remaining open space around the building will be utilized for bus transit in the APST parking area.
The ten-storied building in the state, which follows a ground-plus-three-floor policy, is a clear violation of the laid-down building bylaws. The state seems overwhelmed by the persistent lack of space in the capital region, and instead of making public transport available, it has chosen to prioritize accommodating parking spaces.
While the buildings are massive and not built in accordance with the laid-down norms, it remains to be seen whether these buildings will actually be put to use, as has happened with other government structures, particularly parking buildings in the state. For a hill town with limited land, every inch is important. However, the parking lots are not the solution. Introducing public transport, which is utterly lacking in the state, is crucial. The state transport system has yet to connect villages, even where roads have reached. The priority should be public transport that is not only affordable but also helps drastically reduce urban congestion.