TEHRAN On May 14, 1994, a contract for the construction of three mechanical parking lots was concluded between the Tehran Municipality's Transportation and Traffic Organization and Tavankar Company at an exorbitant price and capacity of 38 vehicles in each unit of the parking.
The deputy in charge of studying and planning of the Tehran Municipality's Transportation and Traffic Organization Kamran Haj Nasrollahi told the TEHRAN TIMES that generally speaking, in our country and in Tehran, parking is a problem.
He said that mechanical parking lots are not often used as public parking in crowded places, adding that part of our problems dealing with parking may be attributed to the Commerce Ministry.
Nasrollahi further said that Commerce Ministry has approved that the rate of public parking includes in government penal codes and this ratification has caused the private sector to be reluctant in constructing parking lots, while in foreign countries construction of city parking is among lucrative jobs.
He said where there is not space, the necessity of construction of parking is felt.
Meanwhile, an engineer engaged in the Transportation and Traffic Organization told the TEHRAN TIMES that there are one or two mechanical parking lots in Tehran that have been set up without considering the complex city conditions.
He said despite the enormous cost of creating these parking lots, they have not been effective in removing the problem because economic gains have not been considered in their creation.
The engineer said such constructions have been created out of the tax collected from the citizens, therefore, they should be used by the public and not certain rich classes.