Admn allows 3 basements to battle parking pangs

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 11

In a major step to solve the parking problem in the city, the Chandigarh Administration has allowed a three-level basement in all commercial and industrial buildings, besides residential group housing societies and bigger residential plots.

The Administration has amended the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban)-2017 to incorporate the provision for basements in Chandigarh. The relaxation will be allowed to all hotels, multiplexes, malls, commercial and industrial plots, banquet halls/marriage palaces, cultural and non-academic institutions, religious buildings, educational institutes, IT Park, and residential and government housing and integrated projects.

Earlier, a single-level basement was mandatory for all such buildings. Now, a three-level basement in all plots having an area of 4 kanal and above except residential (marla and kanal) houses shall be permissible beyond the zoned area in setbacks up to the plot boundary, subject to technical feasibility. A minimum of 80 per cent space shall be used for parking and a maximum of 20 per cent for services/storage purposes. All other safety norms and bylaws regarding construction of basement will be in line with the Chandigarh Building Rules (Urban)-2017.

An UT officer said more than three basements for parking shall be considered on a case-to-case basis. With the relaxation, plot owners can now make parking for commercial purposes. Traffic chaos in the city is routine due to the ever-increasing number of vehicles.