In its monthly meeting on Thursday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will discuss a proposal to automatically double parking charges across the city when Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), or more, is implemented.
Officials said the ban is aimed at discouraging the use of private vehicles while curbing air pollution in response to worsening air quality.
If approved, parking rates in the city would increase by default after the Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM) mandated that GRAP Stage II be implemented and return to normal rates once GRAP restrictions are lifted.
In January, when the AQI fell into the critical category, a four-fold increase in parking fees was discussed but such an increase was necessary due to the scale of the fees. Although it did not materialize then, the MCD now cites the then Lt. Governor’s directive at a high-level committee meeting in 2017 as an example of the move.
“It is stated that the CAQM has not fixed the quantum of increase that can be made in the existing parking charges. However, a precedent of Delhi Pollution Control Committee dated 8-11-2017 may be followed,” said the agenda of Thursday’s MCD meeting.
The 2017 order said that a directive issued by the LG in November 2017, in view of the severe pollution faced by Delhi, could increase the parking fee by four times.
In August, CAQM noted that apart from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), no significant revision of parking charges was made across Delhi when GRAP was implemented.
Since the NDMC usually doubles the parking charges in its jurisdiction, the MCD has decided to hike its rates on the same lines. “… NDMC has already implemented two-fold hike in parking charges under GRAP II. Similarly, we have proposed to double the parking charges while invoking the second phase of GRAP at all parking sites under MCD jurisdiction,” the proposal said.
“Metro is yet to reach all parts of Delhi, buses are overcrowded and there are places in outer Delhi where even catching a bus requires a lot of travel… so people generally use personal vehicles to do daily tasks. Commuting is necessary for that,” a citizen said. The official said explaining the reasoning behind the proposed revision of fees.
In the agenda of the meeting, there are proposals to build a bridge over Chirag Delhi canal, connect Chirag Delhi village with Sheikh Sarai, condemn old MCD vehicles, and set a date for the formation of MCD standing committee.
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