Nashik's Ambitious Pay-and-Park Scheme Hits Fifth-Year Roadblock
The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) continues to grapple with the implementation of its long-awaited pay-and-park project, which has now languished for five full years due to a persistent lack of interest from private bidders. Despite multiple attempts to kickstart the initiative, the civic body finds itself back at square one, floating a tender for the fifth time in a desperate bid to attract contractors.
Repeated Tender Failures and Latest Disqualifications
The project, which proposes structured parking facilities at 28 strategic locations across Nashik, has seen four previous tender processes fail to yield viable results. Most recently, all eight bidders who participated in the fourth tender floated last month were disqualified for failing to meet the necessary criteria. This has forced the NMC to initiate a fifth tender process, with the deadline for bid submissions set for February 25, followed by bid opening on February 26.
"We are making concerted efforts to advance the pay-and-park project in Nashik, but we are consistently facing poor response from private contractors," explained NMC officials. "Now, with the fifth tender floated, we are prepared to proceed even if we receive just one eligible contractor for the entire project."
Comprehensive Parking Plan for Busy Urban Zones
The municipal corporation's blueprint includes:
- 22 on-street parking spaces
- 6 off-street parking facilities
These locations are concentrated in Nashik's most congested central areas, encompassing major commercial markets, institutional clusters, and high-traffic corridors. The NMC envisions that implementing a structured, technology-supported parking system in these critical zones would significantly enhance vehicular movement and eliminate the current chaos of haphazard parking.
Mounting Public Frustration Over Parking Shortages
Meanwhile, Nashik residents are growing increasingly frustrated with the chronic lack of authorized parking spaces in the city's bustling market areas. The absence of proper parking infrastructure forces many to park vehicles up to a kilometer away from their destinations, creating substantial inconvenience.
"Visiting market areas has become a major hassle because we often need to park at least one kilometer away," shared Sagar Nerpagare, a local resident. "This is particularly difficult when we have family members with us. Nashik urgently requires proper parking spaces for the convenience and comfort of its residents."
The continued delay in implementing the pay-and-park project not only highlights administrative challenges but also underscores the growing infrastructure gap in one of Maharashtra's key urban centers. As Nashik's population and vehicular density increase, the pressure on existing parking facilities intensifies, making the successful execution of this project more critical than ever.
