With vehicles routinely parked along roads and traffic jams becoming a daily affair, the new facility can help decongest the busy Kasumpti-SDA Complex area if motorists make proper use of it.
Shimla – After months of delay, the much-awaited multi-storeyed parking facility at the SDA Complex in Kasumpti was finally opened to the public on Saturday, raising hopes of relief from the persistent traffic congestion that has become a daily problem in one of Shimla’s busiest localities.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the parking project, constructed at a cost of ₹28.37 crore. The facility has the capacity to accommodate 315 vehicles and has been developed to address the growing shortage of parking space in the area.
Kasumpti and the adjoining SDA Complex have witnessed a sharp increase in vehicular traffic over the years due to the presence of government offices, commercial establishments and residential colonies. However, limited parking space has resulted in vehicles being parked haphazardly along roads, reducing carriageway width and causing traffic bottlenecks, particularly during office hours.
Roadside parking around the SDA Complex, Himuda offices and nearby markets has long been cited as one of the major reasons behind traffic snarls in the area. Vehicles parked on both sides of roads often leave little space for smooth movement, leading to long queues and delays for commuters.
The newly inaugurated parking facility is expected to provide much-needed relief, but residents say its success will depend on whether motorists actually use the structure instead of continuing to leave their vehicles on roads. Unless illegal and idle roadside parking is discouraged, congestion may continue despite the availability of dedicated parking space.
During the inauguration, Chief Minister Sukhu said Shimla required more such facilities to cope with increasing traffic pressure and announced that additional urban infrastructure projects were being taken up in the city. He said the state government was investing ₹246 crore in an underground utility duct system and had also earmarked ₹150 crore for widening and improving the circular road to facilitate smoother traffic movement.
The opening of the parking facility comes as Shimla continues to grapple with traffic congestion and a severe shortage of parking spaces. Urban planners and traffic experts have repeatedly pointed out that inadequate parking and encroachments on road space contribute significantly to congestion in hill towns, making multi-level parking facilities an important part of traffic management.
Residents hope that the long-awaited project will not merely become another underutilised structure and that strict enforcement against roadside parking will ensure that the new facility delivers its intended purpose of decongesting the Kasumpti-SDA Complex area.
