RWAs push for paid parking in affordable housing societies

Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWA), under the banner of the United Association of New Gurugram (UANG), have formally requested the Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM) to establish paid parking facilities in affordable group housing societies (GHS). In their proposal, they highlighted the traffic congestion caused by the lack of designated parking spaces in these societies, which often forces residents to park their vehicles on roads or footpaths.

In a recent meeting with MCM officials and representatives from various societies, UANG members urged the MCM to allocate municipal land near these housing societies for the proposed parking facilities.

“This would be a win-win solution — providing essential parking for residents while generating revenue for the MCM,” said Praveen Malik, president of UANG.

Growing need for parking space

Residents said rapid population growth in affordable GHS across here had led to an increasing demand for designated parking spaces. Under the Building Code 2008, affordable GHS were not required to include parking provisions, leaving residents to deal with daily traffic congestion and chaotic parking situations.

Gurugram, a mix of urban and rural areas under MCM, has seen an influx of families into affordable housing societies. Currently, over 10 such GHS are operational, housing around 8,000 families, with another 10 societies close to completion. Despite rising car ownership among residents, these societies lack sufficient parking, forcing vehicles onto public roads and causing traffic bottlenecks. "This often leads to law-and-order issues and creates inconvenience for commuters," said Malik.

MCM response

Additional Commissioner Jitender Kumar assured residents their concerns would be reviewed. “The residents have presented their case and we are evaluating it. This is a policy decision and we will present their suggestions to the commissioner for consideration,” he said.