Environment panel for four-time increase in parking rates in Delhi

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which looks after congestion and pollution issues in the city, has proposed a four-fold increase in parking rates in the Capital. Neelam Pandey reports.

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which looks after congestion and pollution issues in the city, has proposed a four-fold increase in parking rates in the Capital.

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According to sources, the rates, which will be finalised by the Delhi government soon, may vary from Rs 30 to Rs 50. Currently, parking rates for cars in the three newly-elected civic agencies are Rs 10 for 10 hours and Rs 20 for the entire day. In NDMC areas, the rates are Rs 10 for the first two hours and R10 for every subsequent hour.

The Delhi government had come up with a public notice inviting suggestions and objections from Delhiites regarding increase in parking rates.

"The EPCA has raised concerns over the fact that though several proposals have been made in the past to hike parking charges, they have not been implemented even as the Supreme Court has given directions to take various steps to decongest the city. We are also looking into the possibility of coming up with a new legislation to ensure enforcement of the increased parking rates," said a senior Delhi government official.

The official added that the government will be notifying the parking policy soon.

"There were a lot of suggestions and debate over whether to keep parking charges for every three hours or every hour. We need to figure out the details," said a senior Delhi government official.

The parking policy further states that public transport should be strengthened to ensure people restrict the use of private vehicles and opt for public transport.

With 1,300 vehicles being added to the city roads every day, finding a place to park your car is also becoming a difficult task.

Even as the government is considering an increasing parking rates and levying new fee to bring down vehicular load, hardly anything has been done to provide new parking lots. Of the 41 multi-level parking projects conceived by unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the last five years only one stack-parking behind Shiela Cinema at Paharganj has been made operational.