2 min readPuneJul 25, 2026 12:14 PM IST
The Pune civic body on Thursday decided to demolish the city’s first fully automated multi-level parking facility on the Sambhaji Garden premises.
Launched with much fanfare in 2007, the 20-storey ‘Vertipark’ at JM Road suffered a major technical snag five years later and has since been lying defunct. The Rs 2.5-crore facility that could accommodate 60 cars was designed to maximise parking area using minimum urban space.
“It was decided to dismantle the mechanised parking facility, which is beyond repair. The facility has not been in use for years, and the civic body is unable to find an expert agency to repair, maintain and operate it skillfully,” said Srinath Bhimale, chairperson of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee.
The mechanised steel structure of the facility has become risky, and the expenditure on repair exceeds its use, Bhimale said, adding that the parking is not financially feasible.
“The PMC has decided to dismantle it for Rs 29,000 per metric tonne,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divate, adding that the total cost will only be known after the actual work.
The officials are yet to finalise the date of demolition.
