Hike in parking rates to curb pollution: Govt

Brace yourself to pay the first of many prices for the rising air pollution in the Capital - increased parking fees. Darpan Singh reports.

Brace yourself to pay the first of many prices for the rising air pollution in the Capital - increased parking fees.

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The new rates will be based on real-time market demand. Once a new parking policy the government is working on comes into effect, people won't be able to avoid multi-level lots when the surface parking slots in the same location are full and chaos spills onto the roads.

A five-year proposed action plan - slated for finalisation in a week - prepared by the Delhi government and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to fight pollution in the Capital looks to reduce the use of personal cars and promote common and shared parking.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director in charge of the air pollution and transportation programme at CSE, said, "We cannot quantify the hike now."

"An integrated mechanism will ensure the optimum utilisation of space and avoid on-street parking by treating both multi-level and surface lots at a particular location as one facility," she added.

"The government is also planning to reduce cruising time through real-time information on space available and proper signages. The plan also involves increasing parking violation fines and invoke both police and municipal acts as done in Pune," said a senior government official.

"Until we take these measures, the ongoing investments in Metro and improved bus services may not give the best results in terms of reduction in pollution and promotion of public transport," said a government official.