MCI to modernise parking fee collection

ISLAMABAD: The Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has decided to modernise city’s parking fee collection system in collaboration with the private sector.

Under the smart parking project, digital parking system will be installed in all the markets, centers, Blue Area and other various parks. The receipt system will be abolished. Electronic barriers will be installed at each parking entrance while entry will be through prepaid cards. The new system will also collect data on how many vehicles come to which parking lot every day.

The Municipal Administration Directorate had invited bids from private sector firms for the automatic parking system. Eight firms have submitted their technical and financial bids. Technical bids of these firms were opened in the first phase on Tuesday. An Evaluation Committee headed by Noman Khalid, Member, Technology and Digitalization, CDA, will review and mark these technical bids. After that, their financial bids will be opened. These firms will submit their bids to automate the parking system. The whole systems will be installed by the firm and the parking fee will also be collected by the firm and a share of this fee will be given to MCI.

All the capital investment for the installation of the system will be done by the private firm. MCI will not incur any expenses. Apart from the card system, a software application for smart phones will also be introduced. Its purpose is to generate revenue for the MCI and eliminate complaints of corruption in the manual parking system.