15 hours ago
Automated parking system gets mixed response in Pune
Pune: Space limitations in major cities are driving a gradual shift towards elevated and high-rise car parking solutions.
Modern technology now offers several advanced options beyond the traditional elevated parking commonly found in residential complexes.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Project requirements dictate the choice of design, with options including the chess set pattern, aisle pattern, and rotary pattern, among others. While most people still prefer conventional ground-level parking, the severe space constraints in cities like Mumbai necessitate high-rise car parks that can extend up to 70 meters in height. In contrast, homebuyers in the Pune area show mixed preferences when it comes to these more intricate car parking designs.
"Consumers are quickly getting used to modern parking systems, which now even come with AI. These systems can tell you exactly how many parking spots are open, cutting down on the time you spend driving around looking for one. Developers, too, are finding it impossible to meet parking requirements with just traditional stilt and basement parking, so they have to go with mechanized systems," Manish Jain, president of Credai Pune Metro, said.
A developer based in Pimpri Chinchwad said, "While complicated parking designs are still rare, they are starting to appear in redevelopment projects where the plot sizes are very small. However, in areas like Pimpri Chinchwad, we have even seen some buyers cancel their bookings if a project features elevated parking."
Milind Padole, founder of Pune-based Affordable Robotics and Automation Pvt Ltd (ARAPL), said Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru are major markets.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"High-rise parking systems are one of the verticals of the company that is involved in providing robotics and automation solutions to car manufacturers and e-commerce companies. It has a 30% share in the automated parking space in Mumbai," he said.
"There is no space in cities like Mumbai. Everything is redevelopment. In the case of high-rise parking, we can fit around 60 to 70 cars in the space of three cars. The automated parking consumes around one unit of electricity when used once.
In localities like Walkeshwar in Mumbai, where there is no space at all, but the buyers are ready, we can install chess-type parking, which can cost up to Rs 11 lakh per spot," he said.
The ARAPL has installed some automated parking for public projects in a couple of smart cities like Visakhapatnam and Kerala.
However, it is treading lightly in this business as adaptation is happening at a slow pace, either because of preference or lack of funds.
"The technology exists, but there is some resistance from the end-customers. At some point, civic administration and developers need to decide if roads are to be used for parking or driving. If roads are meant for driving, then cars should not be parked on the roads," Padole said.
