Bangalore, known as India’s Silicon Valley, is experiencing increasingly congested traffic and a serious shortage of parking spots. Traditional parking systems are struggling to keep up with the city’s increasing population and automobile ownership. Vertical parking is emerging as one of the most effective parking constraints solutions in Bangalore, addressing both space limitations and traffic congestion.
In this blog, we’ll look at the advantages of creating vertical parking spaces under existing buildings, why they’re excellent for cities like Bangalore, and how they’re becoming an important component of urban infrastructure.
Table of Contents
What is Vertical Parking?
Why Bangalore Needs Vertical Parking?
Vertical parking space creation under existing building
Key Considerations for Existing Buildings
Where Can This Solution Be Used?
Key Benefits of creating vertical car/vehicle parking space under existing building
Conclusion
FAQ
What is Vertical Parking?
Vertical parking is a system whereby cars are stored vertically on a platform. These could be installed at residential complexes, malls, commercial spaces, or even on small plots, where vertical space is maximized due to constraints on horizontal space.
Why Bangalore Needs Vertical Parking?
- High Vehicle Density: Over 10 million vehicles are registered in the city.
- Land Availability: Central Bangalore suffers insufficient open land for the construction of traditional parking lots.
- Traffic Congestion: The bulk of Bangalore’s traffic jams is caused by vehicles circling around to find parking.
- Urban Planning Concerns: As the city grows, so must its parking.
And vertical parking is a scalable and sustainable solution to all these problems.
Vertical parking space creation under existing building
Creating vertical parking spaces under an existing building or creating underground vehicle parking space in Bangalore, especially in a dense urban environment like Bengaluru, is a complex but increasingly popular solution to tackle parking shortages. This involves leveraging automated parking systems that utilize vertical stacking and intelligent retrieval.
How it Works (Generally):
- Excavation and Structural Assessment: The first and most crucial step is to assess the existing building’s foundation and structural integrity. This requires in-depth restructural engineering expertise to determine if the building can withstand the excavation and the additional loads of a vertical parking system. If necessary, foundation reinforcement will be undertaken.
- Pit Construction: A deep pit is excavated beneath the building’s footprint. This pit will house the vertical parking mechanism.
- Installation of Automated System: Various types of vertical parking systems can be installed:
- Tower Parking Systems: Basically, Tower Parking Systems are like a big “vending machine” for cars. The vehicles will be moved vertically by a central lift, which can go to multiple levels (up to 25 or more) and will be moved horizontally into a parking bay on automated trolleys or shuttles. Tower Parking Systems can be designed around existing structures or as self-supporting.
- Puzzle Parking Systems: Puzzle Parking Systems feature some combination of vertical and horizontal movement. Cars are shifted like a puzzle to create access to desired parking spots, often utilizing pits and multiple levels.
- Stack Parking Systems (with pits): Simpler versions may involve hydraulic lifts that stack cars directly above or below each other, with the lowest car often being in a pit.
- Entry/Exit Bays: Parkers drive their vehicles into ground level parking entry bays. The driver exits the vehicle, while an automated system will sequentially store the vehicle at a vertical position. The retrieval process is similar to the parking process where the operator automatically returns the vehicle to the entry bay.
- Control System: A highly automated, computer-controlled system tracks the vehicles, determines their location, and manages the parking and retrieval process. Automated systems may incorporate touch screens, RFID tags, and other sensors to maximize density of the parking spaces and safety of the process.
Key Considerations for Existing Buildings
- Structural Feasibility: This is the highest risk. A qualified structural engineer will need to do a full engineering analysis to determine whether the foundation and columns of the building can be sufficiently modified and carried in a safe manner during and after excavation and installation. The possibility of foundation underpinning and/or reinforcement may need to be included.
- Space Limitations: Even though vertical parking could fully utilize the available space, there are still limitations, based on the existing footprint of the building and the amount of excavation depth available.
- Geological Conditions: The soil conditions and groundwater levels on site are so important. Not all geological formations will allow for deep excavation.
- Cost: The initial capital cost of an automated vertical parking solution (especially for an existing building) can be significant because of the excavation, modifications needed to the structure, and cost of the system. However, a vertical parking solution will create a long-term value by alleviating land use and avoiding continual first cost of land acquisition.
- Maintenance: These are mechanical systems that will require regular maintenance and service to continue to function smoothly and safely.
- Regulatory Approvals: Acquiring the appropriate permits and approvals at the local municipal level for this level of structural alteration as well as parking systems is a prerequisite.
Where Can This Solution Be Used?
- Residential flats and gated communities.
- Old Commercial Complexes and Office Buildings
- Malls, hospitals, hotels.
- Existing schools, colleges, and public infrastructure.
- Buildings without prior parking arrangements.
Key Benefits of creating vertical car/vehicle parking space under existing building
- Increases the commercial value of the property.
- Space-saving and cost-effective
- Safe and secure parking environment.
- Environmentally friendly, reduces vehicle idle time.
Conclusion
As cities deal with rising vehicle volumes and limited land to expand, vertical parking solutions in Bangalore introduced under the existing building may be game-changing. By leveraging unused or underutilized basements and stilt areas, property owners can dramatically increase parking capacity without expanding the building footprint.
While there will be significant effort in planning, examining the structural integrity of the building, and initial financial commitment to implement the project, the long-term benefits will far outweigh the effort of having a space and urban mobility through sustainable vertical parking.From residential apartments to commercial complexes, this smart solution can help the city move toward more efficient, sustainable, and livable infrastructure.
In a city where every square foot matters, creating vertical parking under existing buildings isn’t just an innovation, it’s a necessity.If you’re considering this solution, contact a reliable construction company in Bangalore to get started.
Transform Your Space with Smart Vertical Parking
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible, but only after a thorough structural and geological feasibility study. A qualified engineering team must assess the building’s foundation, stability, and soil conditions before planning excavation and installation.
When properly installed and maintained, vertical parking systems are very safe.
The timeline varies based on the building’s structure, soil conditions, system complexity, and required excavation. On average, such projects may take anywhere from 6 to 12 months from design to completion.