The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) Remunerative Projects committee issued a proposal recently to increase existing security measures and add new ones at all MCD authorised and contracted parking lots. Committee members stated that the measures were taken as a response to the Red Fort blast on November 10.
The proposal states that nine measures must mandatorily be taken at every MCD parking lot, starting with the installation of CCTV cameras at all entry and exit gates, ticket counters, and throughout the lots. Footage backups of 30 days are mandatory.
The committee has also stated that every parking lot should have security guards present at all times, emergency arrangements such as fire extinguishers and buckets, and LED lighting to eliminate dark spots. The staff employed in the lots will have to undergo regular fire safety training, and be verified by the police. Additionally, the committee has stated that cars which stay in the parking lot for long periods of time must be removed.
MCD parking lots have also been directed to take special measures to ensure women’s safety, which include the installation of panic buttons and the display of helpline numbers, and increased surveillance during evening and night time.
“We are also developing an app which allows people using the parking lot to get their tickets by scanning a qr code. We have already launched this as a pilot project in some parking lots, including those at Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar, and will spread it to others in the following days,” said Yogesh Verma, an MCD councillor and one of the committee members. Pramod Gupta, head of the committee said that the proposal is currently awaiting approval from the MCD’s law department, and the MCD House.
In a similar move, the parking lots have also been directed to have a QR code-based grievance redressal mechanism through which people can register complaints. The display of the parking supervisor’s number and the corporation’s helpline at each parking lot has also been mandated, along with the sending of a monthly report of complaints to the MCD.
The proposal also suggests a monthly inspection of each parking lot by the MCD, in order to identify parking lot operators who do not comply with the safety standards, and take action against them if required, which may include cancelling their contract with the MCD.
