South Delhi civic body gives nod for increase in one-time parking charges

If approved, the one-time parking charge for vehicles costing up to Rs 4 lakh will increase three-fold — from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000. Similarly, for cars priced between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, the civic agency will levy Rs 10,000 as parking charge; and for vehicles worth Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, charges will be Rs 15,000. For vehicles costing between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, the charge will be Rs 30,000,

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday approved the proposal to increase the “one-time parking charge” for both commercial and private vehicles during its standing committee meeting.

Those buying vehicles between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 40 lakh will need to pay Rs 60,000 as vehicle registration charges and those buying vehicles costing above Rs 40 lakh will need to pay Rs 75,000. Currently, the south corporation charges Rs 4,000 as one-time parking charges for all vehicles above Rs 4 lakh.(HT File Photo)

Hindustan Times on September 12 had reported that buying a new car in city may become costlier as the SDMC is planning to increase the “one-time parking charge”. The charge is paid at the time of registration of a new vehicle so the municipality can use it to improve parking spaces .

The proposal will need to be adopted by all the three civic agencies- north, east and south corporations — before it is sent to the urban development department, Delhi government and lieutenant-governor for final notification. “We will soon write to the north and east corporations and ask them to approve similar proposals in their standing committees,” said an SDMC official.

This is not the first time that the south corporation is trying to hike parking charges. Following a similar proposal floated by the north corporation in 2015, the SDMC in 2017 had approved a plan to increase the charge by up to 15% of the value of vehicles. The proposal was not implemented because civic agencies did not take prior approval of the urban development department, Delhi government and L-G.

Shikha Rai, standing committee chairperson, SDMC said, “The increase is nominal and is definitely need of the hour. We require funds to improve parking facilities. Moreover, there has been no increase in one-time parking charge for decades.”

Anumita Roy Chowdhury, head of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, however, called the concept of one-time parking fee regressive. “This makes private car users get a feeling that they can use public spaces for free infinitely. Car users should be charged whenever and wherever they use parking services,”
she said.

If approved, the one-time parking charge for vehicles costing up to Rs 4 lakh will increase three-fold — from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000.

Similarly, for cars priced between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, the civic agency will levy Rs 10,000 as parking charge; and for vehicles worth Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, charges will be Rs 15,000. For vehicles costing between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, the charge will be Rs 30,000,

Those buying vehicles between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 40 lakh will need to pay Rs 60,000 as vehicle registration charges and those buying vehicles costing above Rs 40 lakh will need to pay Rs 75,000. Currently, the south corporation charges Rs 4,000 as one-time parking charges for all vehicles above Rs 4 lakh.