Africa-Press – Uganda. The upgrade of the Old Taxi Park has been delayed by the installation of an automated system, which is aimed at creating orderliness in the facility, the deputy executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Mr David Luyimbazi, has said.His revelation follows complaints from taxi operators who are attributing the traffic mess in the city centre to inadequate parking spaces occasioned by the closure of the park.
In a telephone interview with this newspaper at the weekend, Mr Luyimbazi acknowledged that the project has stalled but said technocrats are currently installing an automation system to ensure access, control and security.
The system, he said, will be installed at all entry and exit points of the park.“It’s a smart system, which is able to read car number plates and also ensure that all cars entering the park have paid levies and meet the requirements. We want to get rid of the old open gate system where taxis would enter and exit anytime, and we are hopeful that with this new system, there will be controlled traffic flow and security for both operators and passengers,” he said.
Mr Luyimbazi said the park will be opened by May 8, adding that KCCA is apparently engaging taxi operators about the new system.He also said they are still weighing options on whether to roll out the same system across all the city’s public parks.
KCCA embarked on the upgrade of the facility in May last year during the Covid-19 induced lockdown, and promised to hand over the facility to taxi operators by August the same year. The upgrade works are being undertaken by Stirling Civil Engineering Services.
The Kampala Old Park Taxi before it was closed for renovation. KCCA is working on an automated system to ensure access, control and security in the renovated park. PHOTO/ FILE
Taxi operators argue that the stalled project has significantly affected their operations because majority of them are operating on the streets.“The city doesn’t have enough parking spaces and the continued closure of the Old Taxi Park has affected many drivers and conductors. KCCA previously set two deadlines on which they would hand over the facility to us in vain. The situation is now getting out of hand and we are losing patience,” said Mr Tom Ssekidde, a driver.
With an automation system, taxi operators fear that there will be limited parking space hence causing traffic gridlock in the city centre.The chairperson of Uganda Transporters Development Agency (Utrada), Mr Mustafa Mayambala, said KCCA asked taxi operators to identify parking spaces, which can be upgraded into a park but have failed.
“They told us that only 344 taxis will be allowed to load passengers at a time while others wait from outside. But there is no space outside the park and this means that taxis will be parked all over the streets because they are so many and the available parks in the city can’t accommodate them,” he said.Mr Mayambala said they will engage KCCA to discuss how to handle congestion when the facility opens.
While touring the facility in February, Mr Luyimbazi said KCCA is committed to providing working spaces for both vendors and taxi drivers to ensure inclusivity.
He said the authority has since engaged government to increase their funding to enable them establish more markets and parks.
Park ownership
The city has three public taxi parks: Old Taxi Park, New Taxi Park and Usafi Taxi Park. Namirembe Road Taxi Park, Namayiba Taxi Park and Kisenyi Taxi Park are privately owned.
The renovation works on the Old Taxi Park include excavation, installation of underground drainage lines, rock fill, and building new foundation layers for carpet and surfacing of the constructed layers with asphalt concrete (tarmac).
The deserted Old Taxi Park following the Covid-19 induced lockdown last year. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA
The new carpet now has markings to delineate areas for parking, and for taxi and pedestrian movements. The park boundaries have been retained properly to prevent mud from washing onto the carpet as has previously been the case. There will also be lighting and waiting sheds for passengers.
The new facility has designated entry and exit points for both vehicles and pedestrians and will have access control for vehicles to avoid queuing on the surrounding roads.
