SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
JAMMU, Dec 5
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) is all set to initiate a new FASTag-based parking system in Jammu’s Transport Nagar. This move follows the successful implementation of the first FASTag-based parking management system at Jammu’s Main Bus Stand last year.
Under the directives of the Housing and Urban Development Department, the JDA had inaugurated this system at the main bus stand, making it the first parking facility in Jammu and Kashmir to adopt FASTag for deducting parking charges automatically. The Authority is now extending this system to Transport Nagar, which houses the Interstate Bus Terminal and several parking lots, predominantly used for vehicle repairs. The area also includes offices of the RTO, Forest Department, and Jal Shakti Department.
The FASTag-based parking management system is expected to enhance the parking infrastructure’s efficiency and transparency while reducing the need for contractual staffing. The JDA plans to manage this system with its employees and will ensure that it does not cause inconvenience to those working in Transport Nagar.
JDA is currently preparing to start this system on a trial basis. The plan includes setting up dedicated entry and exit gates along the Narwal route. Companies are being invited to participate in this project, which will accommodate approximately two thousand vehicles on daily basis.
With this system, vehicle owners will no longer need to pay parking charges separately. Charges will be automatically deducted from their accounts, and the computerized system will track the exact time of a vehicle’s entry and exit, ensuring accurate billing. This system will also help in reducing disputes over parking charges.
The Executive Engineer of Jammu Development Authority has confirmed that following the main bus stand, the FASTag-based parking management system might be initiated on a trial basis in Transport Nagar. The process has started, and the local shopkeepers and businessmen will be involved to ensure smooth implementation. This unique system is expected to commence operations from next year, he added.
