Mandatory: MCD parking lots to use hand-held devices

In order to save motorists from getting fleeced by the parking mafia, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has made it mandatory for parking contractors to use hand-held machines to issue slips.

In order to save motorists from getting fleeced by the parking mafia, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has made it mandatory for parking contractors to use hand-held machines to issue slips.

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This is for the first time that a parking lot in MCD area will make use of hand-held machines to issue parking slips. To begin with, the civic agency will be inviting tenders for 108 parking lots wherein use of hand-held machines has been made a part of the new terms and conditions. These 108 parking lots will create space for more than 10,000 vehicles at a given point of time.

Also, to ensure that parking contractors do not park vehicles more than the allowed number at spaces earmarked to them, a fine of Rs600 will be charged.

The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) had earlier directed MCD to introduce hand-held parking devices.

“We will be inviting tenders on Monday. We want to ensure that people are not fleeced which is why we have made it mandatory in our terms and conditions to use hand-held machines for issuing parking slips. Contractors will not be able to tamper with the slips as computerised slips will have to be issued,” said a senior MCD official.

To put an end to land grabbing by parking contractors, EPCA had also directed MCD to carry out demarcation of authorised parking lots and mark the dimensions of the lot by using thermoplastic paint so that it stays for a longer period. All these suggestions have been incorporated in the new terms and conditions by the MCD.

These surface parking lots will be operational soon in areas such as J block in Saket, Vasant Kunj, Gulmohar Enclave, RK Puram, Defence Colony, Sarita Vihar, Alaknanda Market, Jangpura, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Sunder Nagar Market, Hauz Khas, Qutab Road, Sarita Viahar among others.

Last month, the civic agency had received flak from EPCA for not complying with different conditions for regularisation of parking sites in the city.

Members of the EPCA will conduct surprise checks at parking lots across the city to ensure whether their directions are being implemented by the civic agencies.