It can fly: Helium balloons could help end parking woes

The ‘Here Balloon’ concept is being considered by Lahore Parking Company to save fuel and hassle.

LAHORE:

The Lahore Parking Company (LPC)—an autonomous wing of the city district government which has been assigned management of all parking lots and plazas of government departments—is considering a new concept to make vehicle parking easier in the city.

The “Here Balloon” concept, as it is commonly known in policy circles because of the use of helium-filled balloons, was developed by a South Korean oil company to save fuel and hassle. A yellow helium-filled balloon, which reads ‘HERE’, is installed at parking space for each vehicle. When a car is parked there, it pulls the balloon down. When a parking lot is empty, the balloon rises in the air again and is visible to drivers from quite a distance. LPC spokesperson Fasihuddin said the company was working on the details of the “Here Balloon” concept. “We will have to test whether the idea is practical or not considering our weather conditions. If deemed feasible, these balloons will be tested in another three months in all parking lots,” he said.

Automation

The Advanced Global Communication Networks (AGCN), the principal contractor of LPC, has also started the automation of parking lots in the city. They have selected 32 parking sites in the provincial capital for the automation project in the first phase.

According to LPC, the 32 sites would be automated simultaneously and would be made operational in July. Another 66 sites in Lahore would be automated and made operational in September.

AGCN Deputy CEO Nauman Saeed told The Express Tribune that work at 10 parking sites would start today (Monday).  He said the company had already installed poles and signs at the Ittefaq Hospital site.

Power connections

Saeed said the site would only be made fully operational after getting electricity connections. He said master trainers from China would arrive in July to train the staff that would work at the parking lots.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2014.