Decongest Shillong: Meghalaya offers subsidy for building public parking spaces

Shillong, August 29: Meghalaya government has come out with a unique scheme in which the general public can build parking spaces for cars and get government subsidies for it.

The scheme was announced by the Urban Affairs department for the grant-in-aid scheme for off-street parking. This initiative under the Meghalaya Parking Policy for Urban Areas, 2025, objective is to de-clog the roads in the state capital.

The scheme encourages the development of surface-level, stacked, and automated parking facilities.

Under this scheme, a grant of Rs 1 lakh would be given, if someone builds a parking space for a vehicle, however, the space must be big enough to hold a minimum of ten cars. There is no mention of the maximum limit.

Moreover, if someone builds an automated parking space, then 75% of the detailed project report cost would be borne by the government or Rs 5 lakh would be paid for one-car parking space.

The scheme is on offer for private landowners, dorbar shnongs (traditional bodies,) NGOs, and cooperative societies.

Officials said the scheme is demand-driven, with proposals to be evaluated by a screening committee. Selected applicants will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the parking facility.

“All proposed projects shall be utilised exclusively for commercial parking and shall exclude private parking. Furthermore, the applicant shall have the right to collect parking fees in accordance with the rates notified by the competent authority,” the officials added.

In the state capital several initiatives are being taken to ease traffic snarls. Recently, the Meghalaya State Planning Board said its preparing a blueprint to expand existing roads and identify new roads to ease traffic snarls.

Traffic snarls are caused due to various factors like narrow roads, growing number of vehicles hitting the streets every day and also unregulated parking on the streets.

Meanwhile, the first round of Expressions of Interest for the scheme will be accepted until September 30 and those interested can apply online at: www.invest.meghalaya.gov.in, the officials said.