Jammu and Kashmir yesterday got its maiden FASTag-enabled Parking Management System (PMS) at Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) General Bus Stand Jammu.
This state-of-the-art cashless initiative is second across the country.
India’s first FASTag-based and Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based cashless parking facility was launched by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) at its Kashmere Gate Metro Station in North Delhi on July 6, 2021.
The parking at Jammu Bus Stand would work through an app called Park+ and Jammu residents by using the app can now discover, book, and prepay for a parking spot.
Additionally, they can also use the FASTag on their car to pay for a parking spot, without any human intervention, a first of its kind initiative in Jammu.
Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) Dheeraj Gupta inaugurated this smart parking facility.
The launch was part of J&K’s week-long ‘My Town My Pride’ campaign initiated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Deputy Mayor Jammu Baldev Singh, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, Vice Chairman Jammu Development Authority Pankaj Magotra, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Avny Lavasa, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation Rahul Yadav, SSP Traffic Jammu Koushal Kumar, Regional Transport Officer Jammu Pankaj Bhagotra, President of Chamber of Commerce Jammu Arun Gupta, Corporator Ward No-19 Amit Gupta, President of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, Rahul Sahai, MD Housing Board J&K Shabir Hussain, MD J&K Road Transport Corporation Jammu Rakesh Kumar, Srikant Kurup of IDFC First Bank, and ARTO Jammu Muhammad Saleem were also present on the occasion.
Speaking at the launch, Dheeraj Gupta said, “In the past few years, the parking facilities have increased in Jammu city but this state-of-the-art smart parking FASTag enabling cashless initiative is first of its kind in J&K and second across the entire country.”
He also insisted upon the requirement of upscaling of this model to all parking spaces in the Jammu city be that of JDA or JMC so that smooth cashless, paperless, entry-exit experience at parking spaces to Jammuites should not only be limited to a single parking but spread all over the city.
Gupta urged the people to maintain traffic discipline by parking their vehicles at parking spaces.
He also complimented Jammu Development Authority and IDFC First Bank for partnering this initiative and said that the government was committed to provide all kinds of support to make an effective traffic management system for citizens of the region.
Commenting on the partnership, Founder and CEO of Park+ Amit Lakhotia said, “Park+ has been making conscious efforts to partner with like-minded organisations to enhance car ownership experiences for the users. As part of this strategy, we are excited to collaborate with the Jammu Development Authority to bring our smart parking services to Jammu. We have taken something that has historically been painful and intimidating – finding a parking spot and made it effortless. By downloading the Park+ app, Jammu residents can also recharge their FASTag, discover a car insurance offer, discover a car maintenance partner, find a parking spot, and track their challans.”
“Additionally our FASTag enabled parking management system also allows car owners to pay for their parking using their FASTag. Our aim is to remove parking anxiety for all car owners in Jammu and we aim to expand our smart parking services exponentially in the next 3-4 months,” he said.
