GVMC Operation Lungs 3.0: Crackdown on Cellar Parking Misuse

Illegal commercial activities in cellar floors will be removed as GVMC Operation Lungs 3.0 targets parking misuse and traffic congestion in Vizag. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has granted permissions for cellar floors in commercial complexes, multiplexes, and shopping malls strictly for public vehicle parking purposes only, stated GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg. He informed that those operating unauthorised businesses in cellar floors designated for parking must voluntarily and immediately remove such establishments and vacate the cellar floors to facilitate parking for the convenience of the public. The Commissioner conveyed this to owners of commercial buildings and traders through a press release on Tuesday.

The Commissioner reiterated that GVMC has accorded approvals for cellar floors in commercial complexes, multiplexes, shopping malls, and other commercial buildings solely for vehicle parking. However, it has been observed that several traders are misusing permitted parking areas by carrying out unauthorised commercial activities, thereby violating building regulations and causing inconvenience to the public due to a lack of parking space. He added that GVMC has been receiving numerous public complaints regarding this issue and that this will be the main objective in Operation Lungs 3.0.

Operation Lungs 3.0:

With the increasing number of vehicles in the city, traffic congestion is escalating daily. “One of the major reasons is the misuse of cellar parking spaces in commercial buildings for business activities. As a result, people are forced to park their vehicles on roads, footpaths, and internal lanes, leading to traffic obstructions and public hardship,” the GVMC Commissioner said.

In this regard, the GVMC Town Planning Department and the Police Department will jointly undertake a special enforcement drive under Operation Lungs 3.0. As part of this operation, authorities will clear illegal commercial activities from cellar floors in commercial buildings and restore them for public parking use. The Commissioner warned that legal action will be initiated against establishments continuing illegal operations, including cancellation of occupancy permissions and trade licenses of the concerned buildings.

Therefore, the Commissioner appealed to all traders operating businesses in the cellar floors of commercial buildings in the city to voluntarily remove their establishments immediately and cooperate with GVMC by utilising the permitted cellar floors exclusively for parking, in the interest of public convenience and to avoid legal action.

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