Parking woes

Muscat: The capital city of Muscat is grappling with an increasingly severe parking shortage, an issue that continues to intensify. The prevailing scarcity of parking spaces within modern investment structures, restaurants, and financial institutions highlights the dire need for comprehensive planning and forward-looking strategies among building proprietors.

The consequences of this parking crisis are manifold, ranging from social tensions among citizens to unsightly scenes in public areas. Illegitimate parking on sidewalks and in front of stores and the surge in traffic violations and accidents further emphasise the gravity of the situation. Particularly concerning are the unsettling congregations of vehicles in densely populated residential hubs, notably in Bausher, Al Ghubra, and Al Khoudh.

Said al Harthy, a resident in one of Bausher’s buildings, underscores the correlation between traffic congestion and the parking predicament. He contends that the shortage of parking spaces has contributed to the burgeoning traffic woes, asserting that prudent urban planning should extend to compelling investors to allocate parking provisions.

Al Harthy underscores the symbiotic relationship between adequate parking and flourishing investments. He emphasises that a prosperous future hinges on prioritising the parking conundrum, proposing it to be as indispensable as the properties’ efficiency. Contrary to prevailing notions, Al Harthy attributes the current traffic congestion less to traffic mismanagement and more to urban planning inadequacies.

In concurrence, Sultan al Yaarubi has urged attention to the Bausher district, where multi-story structures housing apartments, eateries, offices, and clinics are juxtaposed with an acute shortage of parking spaces.

Al Yaarubi discerns a glaring planning deficit, advocating for a legislative directive that mandates building owners to designate parking facilities within their premises. He criticises the trend of transforming residential spaces into commercial hubs without adequate consideration for residents’ parking needs, branding it as a stark example of poor planning by the building owners.

Highlighting a potential pathway towards mitigation, Al Yaarubi recommends that any building with over five or six floors ought to allocate a basement floor for parking, alongside parking spaces encircling the structure, in line with its residential and commercial activities. The expansion of vehicle numbers in Oman demands a radical rethink of urban infrastructure, necessitating the provision of well-organised and sufficient parking spaces. Al Yaarubi says: “Among the reasons that created a shortage of parking spaces is the lack of a societal culture to use public transportation”.

Khalid al Balushi, a resident of Al Ghubra, attributes the parking shortage crisis to population growth and the parallel rise in vehicle numbers. The absence of designated parking in front of buildings due to closely situated structures has further aggravated the crisis. Al Balushi beseeches the relevant authorities to address this burgeoning parking shortage crisis with effective and immediate measures to safeguard the city’s liveability and functionality.

“The absence of sufficient parking spaces is adversely affecting the lives of citizens and residents. Muscat is experiencing severe traffic congestion and a dire parking crisis. This situation has forced individuals to allocate extra time before appointments to secure parking spaces, affecting their daily schedules and productivity,” Al Balushi adds.

The city’s aesthetics are negatively impacted, and congestion is intensifying in service-oriented streets due to the shortage of available parking spaces. People have to waste a substantial amount of time looking for suitable parking. Broad planning is the only answer to this issue.