The capital today got its first automated multi-levelcar parking lot at the crowded Sarojini Market that is expected to reduce congestion on the roads and allow shoppers to leave their vehicles at a safe place. ‘South Square’, as the state-of-the-art parking lot built at a cost of Rs 80 crore under the Public-Private-Partnership mode is known, was thrown open to the public by Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the presence of Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken.

Designed to accommodate 824 vehicles, the multi-level parking area is fullyautomated and has car lifts, pallets, computerised control systems that will be operational round the clock. People can use the parking by buying a ‘car park card’, drive into the facility and leave the car at the basement, from where it will be automatically taken to the parking area. As the car reaches the Parking Window, the registration number is scanned, in-time is recorded and the information from the camera is relayed to the operation system.

After the process, the driver will get a smart card which he can use to take the vehicle back. The automated parking system has state-of-the-art security check and car scanning technologies with improved security, safety for parking of the cars in minimum space. Built by New Delhi Municipal Council and DLF, people will have to pay Rs 10 for the first two hours and then Rs 10 for each subsequent hour upto a maximum of Rs 40 per day.

Cars can be parked from 2nd to 8th floor while the ground and first floors will have retail outlets and restaurants, a release from the NDMC said.”The retail space will also provide house kiosks that can be converted into exciting seasonal market spaces for festive fairs that sell candles during Christmas and diyas during Diwali,” it said. The parking lot will have common space and circulation spaces that will include access corridors, lift lobby, passages, corridors and common toilets. It also has underground water tanks, pump room, electric sib-stations and a sewage treatment plant.