Parking in market places

1. 1 
 
Parking in market places - Its problems and solutions
 
School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal 
Omkar Parishwad 
Angita Das 
 

Abstract
Amongst the various localities to which a vehicle frequents, the most extensive is in the
market place. With the near exponential increase in the number of vehicles and the limited
space available for its mobility and parking, the problem of finding space for car park is
increasing and hence the subject gaining importance in today’s scenario. In order to find
probable solutions to car parking to facilitate a hassle free vehicular and pedestrian
movement an in depth study needs to be done. Along with the comfort of pedestrians, the ease
to park for the car drivers also needs to be stressed. The above-mentioned aspects of parking
in markets are considered with examples to aid it’s in depth study.

Introduction
The growth in the number of private car owners and the demand for car parking has increased
manifold. The speed of this change is scary. It took 30 years for India to reach the first
million mark for personal vehicles in 1971. In 1981-1991, India added another 14 million.
Out of this, the amount of time that a vehicle frequents market places is the maximum. Due to
unavailability of space in parking, people park their vehicles in undesignated parking areas
thus causing problem to other car drivers, pedestrians and this leading to traffic jam.
Providing more roads and more space for individual parking cannot be the solution. We still
have the time to act and prevent the future explosion. If we plan alternative mobility systems,
we can avoid car centric growth. Indian cities already have a huge strength in the usage of
public transport and in its tradition of walking and cycling. Indian cities need mobility, not
cars.
Out of the different locations to which a vehicle frequents its use is most extensive in market
places. These market places are where the buzz of all the activities takes place. It contains
shops, commercial establishments, retail outlets, street vendors etc. One goes to marketplaces
more than often for his daily needs, for leisure, special purposes, for some events organised
during festive season. Therefore, the basic types of parking in a market place are surface
parking, underground parking and multilevel parking. Again, with the growing complexities
of parking problems another set of parking types have come into existence e.g. valet parking
stacked parking etc.

2.  
The Cr
1.1 Per
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the park
road sp
encroac
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mobility
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1.3 Mis
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building
undocum
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risis
rsonal vehic
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cent of the t
king spaces
ace meet on
ching upon
ians.
ar exponen
y of cars an
Graph 1 sho
Swena Gulati.
mand for la
se up dispr
nary estima
fleet of perso
suse of park
of parking
gs and near
mented pro
the premise
cles domina
ort buses oc
travel dema
. However,
nly 20 per c
n open and
ntial increas
nd parking
ws the incre
 Parking polic
and
roportionate
ate shows th
onal vehicle
king spaces
premises in
r retail outl
oblem and n
es is not bei
ate parking
cupy just ab
and in the ci
cars and tw
cent of the
d pedestrian
e in person
is causing
ease in pers
cy in Delhi, CRR
ely huge sp
hat the total
es parked on
s in market
n buildings i
lets are bein
no numbers
ing assessed
g areas
bout 3 per c
ity, occupy
wo wheelers
travel dema
n spaces e
nal vehicle
a serious p
sonal vehicl
RI, New Delhi,
pace not o
amount of
n the surfac
t/commerc
is common
ng used for
are availab
d in comme
cent of the r
barely 4 to
s that occup
and. In mos
especially a
ownership
roblem acro
les all over I
, 2009, 15‐18.
only when
land that is
ce is already
ial areas
in marketp
r uses other
ble, and the
ercial and of
road space b
o 5 per cent
py more than
st commerc
along the
and the lim
oss the big
India.
. 
on road in
currently r
y enormous.
laces. Parki
r than parki
resultant sp
ffice areas.
but meet m
of the total
n 90 per cen
cial sites, pa
roads enda
mited space
and small
n market pl
required to k
.
ing spaces i
ing. This is
pill over of
2 
more than
l ECS of
nt of the
arking is
angering
e for the
cities of

laces. A
keep the
in public
s largely
vehicles

3.  
Table 1
(ECS st
Source: T

1.4 Par
Differen
various
parallel
wide va
differen
spaces f
Parking
can help
parking
demand
discour

Conclu
•
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•
•
shows us t
tands for eq
Todd Littman.
rking in ma
nt systems h
countries i
l parking, m
ariety of pa
nt governme
for car pool
g demand is
p to satisfy
g restraint t
d but to ma
age people
usions
Current pa
excessive p
There are s
benefits to
tools have
congestion.
Parking, la
managemen
parking su
coordinated
in physical
Parking de
provision c
the use of ve
quitable car
 Victoria Tran
arket places
have been d
n the world
multilevel p
arking pricin
ents to redu
lers in city a
s gregariou
y the growin
o put brake
anage and r
from using
arking plan
parking supp
strategies th
users. A w
been adop
.
and use an
nt therefore
upply and e
d parking, la
design as w
emand is g
can help to s
ehicles and
space)
nsport Policy In
s
developed to
d. Different
arking syste
ng tools an
uce parking
and state ga
us, aggressiv
ng demand.
es on car g
restrain its
personal ve
nning pract
ply and incr
hat are techn
wide variety
pted by diff
nd transport
e must be
encourage u
and use and
well.
gregarious,
satisfy the g
their parkin
nstitute. Park
o counter th
types of pa
ems, valet
nd parking m
demand an
arages, and i
ve, and ins
. Parking p
growth. Pro
provision
ehicle.
tices in ma
reased autom
nically feasi
y of parking
ferent gove
tation plann
planned as
use of alte
d transport p
aggressive,
growing dem
ng standards
ing Managem
he problem
arking patter
parking etc
managemen
nd congestio
in on-street
atiable. No
rovision sh
ovide parkin
to meet the
arketplaces
mobile traff
ible, cost ef
g pricing to
ernments to
ning decisi
s part of a
ernative tra
policy reform
, and insati
mand.
s in differen
ment, New Del
of parking
rns like perp
c. has been
nt tools hav
on. There ar
metered sp
amount of
hould work
ng not to in
e immediat
are ineffi
fic.
ffective, and
ools and pa
o reduce pa
ions are in
an integrate
ansport mod
ms, which w
iable. No a
nt land uses
lhi, 2002, 25‐3
in market p
rpendicular
tried and te
ve been ado
re reserved
paces.
f parking p
on the prin
ncite more
te need but
icient, resu
d can provid
arking mana
arking dem
ntertwined.
ed effort to
des. These
will lead to
amount of
3 

s.
30.  
places in
parking,
ested. A
opted by
parking
rovision
nciple of
parking
t also to
ulting in
de many
agement
and and
Parking
o reduce
require
changes
parking

4.  
•
•


Figure
Referen
Books
Journa

We still ha
mobility sy
strength in
Indian citie
of parking r
Provide pa
provision t
personal ve
1 showing t
nces
Todd Littm
2002, 25-30
Swena Gul
als
Centre for
New Delhi,
ave the time
ystems, we
the usage
es need mob
restraint to
arking not t
to meet the
ehicle.
the Study m
man. Victori
0.
ati. Parking
Science an
, (2001): 45
e to act and
can avoid c
of public tr
bility, not c
put brakes o
to incite mo
e immediat
methodology
ia Transport
g policy in D
nd Environ
5-48.
d prevent th
car centric g
ransport and
cars. Parkin
on car grow
ore parking
te need but
y for parking
rt Policy Ins
Delhi, CRRI
nment. Park
he future exp
growth. Ind
d in its trad
ng provision
wth.
g demand b
t also to d
g problems
stitute. Park
I, New Delh
king Measu
plosion. If w
dian cities a
dition of wa
n should wo
but to mana
discourage p
in India.
king Manag
hi, 2009, 15
ures to redu
we plan alt
already have
alking and
ork on the p
age and res
people from
gement, New
5-18.
uce mobilit
4 
ternative
e a huge
cycling.
principle
strain its
m using
w Delhi,
y crisis.

5.  
Table 2
Source: P
2. shows us
Parking policy
the parking
y in Delhi, CR
g manageme
RRI, New Delh
ent standard
hi, 2009.
ds and strateegies in diffeferent land u
5 
uses.