NICO’s ICON Properties to introduce car park management system at Chichiri Shopping Mall 

ICON Properties, a subsidiary of NICO’ Group is introducing car park management system at Chichiri Shopping Mall to promote safe, efficient and orderly use of the car park.

A notice from Eris Properties on behalf of ICON Properties, says it has procured a car park management system as an approach to provide innovative solution to parking problems the shopping mall is currently facing.

When implemented, the system is expected to discourage abuse including speeding motorist passers-by and use of the car park by non-customers.

During weekends — when they are football matches at the neighbouring Kamuzu Stadium — fans park at the mall and in the almost 3 hours they are at the stadium, the car park gets congested — denying customers chance to shop.

Most shoppers who know the trend, prefer to use alternative supermarkets than their preferred Shoprite and Game Stores, which also has an underground car park, but it too is used by non-shoppers such as the football fans.

The mall’s other tenants are bank branches, mobile phone service providers, pharmacies, technology shops, bookshop, dentist, boutiques and restaurants, including KFC — housed in a recently constructed structure.

Managed by Afribrand, the stately KFC restaurant includes the much-sought after Drive-Inn service, which takes few minutes from point of order though an intercom, to the paying cubicle and finally the food handover cubicle.

Most times when the neighbouring Masauko Chipembere Highway roundabout is congested, motorists approaching from Kwacha roundabout branch into the mall’s car park through access to Puma service station.

Most of them — especially minibuses drivers from Limbe who cut into road to Kwacha and branch to the mall — overspeed as they rush to rejoin Masauko Chipembere Highway.

The notice to its tenants, ICON Properties says the system will have  features like pay-on-exit and automatic number plate recognition —  “to curb abuse and enhance security at the mall”.

“In a few week, works will commence and any comments, feedback and suggestions will be welcomed as this development is primarily aimed at boosting business at the mall by ensuring customers have access to parking,” said the statement from Henry Kandoje, centre team lead.

Though there is plenty security, provided with a watchtower, motorists as robbed of valuable from their cars. The robbers identify a vulnerable vehicle and they park their car next to it and pretend to be chatting while one attempts to open it using multiple keys they keep.

The guards would spot them but believe that friends have met each other by chance parked next to each other and would chat and drive off while another would saunter into the Shoprite or Game Stores like they going for shopping.