The first fully automated, multi-level car parking facility, which has a capacity for 824 cars, was inaugurated on Thursday in Sarojini Nagar market. The facility was inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Sports Minister and area MP Ajay Maken. Developed at a cost of Rs 80 crore, the ‘South Square’ parking complex has been developed under public-private partnership between New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and real estate developer DLF Limited. Nath said the NDMC plans to construct more such parking lots in the Capital. “They are planning to construct at many places including Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Baba Kharag Singh Marg. We are also ready to give them land for an automated parking lot in Khan Market,” he said. The complex is fully automated with car lifts, pallets and computerised control systems, which will be operational round the clock initially. Drivers can buy a ‘car park card’ to use the facility. The vehicle has to be left at the basement level on a pallet, from where it will be taken to the parking area with the help of lifts. Once a vehicle reaches the parking window, the registration number is scanned and the in-time is recorded. This information is then relayed to the operation system from the camera. The driver is given a smart card, which will allow him to retrieve his vehicle. Cars will be parked on second to eight floors. DLF has offered free parking at the South Square for the first 20 days as part of the real-time trial of the fully automated system. The charges after the trial period will be Rs 10 per hour. The firm will let out commercial space on ground and first floors at Rs 500 per square feet, for retail outlets and restaurants. “The retail space will also provide house kiosks that can be converted into exciting seasonal market spaces for festive fairs,” a senior NDMC official said.