The Hindu : New Delhi News : New parking rates lead to confusion, frayed tempers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 02, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

New parking rates lead to confusion, frayed tempers

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 1. Confusion prevailed at most of the 98 authorised parking lots in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area on Wednesday as the new enhanced parking tariffs came into force. And as the NDMC office remained closed due to a holiday announced by the Delhi Government to mark the 400th anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib, the civic body's enforcement mechanism was totally missing. This led to motorists having to pay even at free parking lots resulting in frayed tempers.

While the tender process for 80 parking lots has been completed and handed over to the contractors, the process for the remaining 18, mostly in and around Connaught Place, is still pending. Despite the NDMC having declared these free parking areas, workers of old contractors were seen illegally collecting parking fees at a couple of such parking lots in Connaught Place.

Though display panels and posters have been put up at a majority of the parking lots informing people of the new enhanced rates, duration and categorisation of parking lots, the point-of-sale machines which are supposed to give computerised tickets with details of the period of parking are missing. Parking attendants were also not wearing their uniform that has been made mandatory in the new contract deal and were seen writing the time of entry on old parking tickets.

According to an NDMC spokesperson, the civic body has decided to act sternly against defaulting parking contractors. "We have asked all contractors to purchase ticket vending machines within a week and fulfil all norms and procedures as mentioned in their contracts. We have decided to form teams to monitor that there is no overcharging. We will also launch a campaign to inform people about the civic body's parking policy and new rates," he added.

The Council has put areas like Connaught Place, Tolstoy Marg, Jai Singh Road, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Shankar Market, Barakhamba Lane, Dilli Haat, INA Market and Yashwant Place under Group A where Rs.10 will be charged for cars for the first two hours followed by Rs.10 for every subsequent hour. The rates for two-wheelers will be Rs.5. Here the monthly charges have been raised to Rs.1,000 for cars and Rs.400 for two-wheelers.

In Group B falls Bengali Market (Tansen Marg), Pandara Road, Malcha Marg, Sarojini Nagar, Palika Place, Claridges Hotel, outside Hotel Connaught, behind Hotel Janpath, Sansad Marg and Khan Market where the rates for cars are Rs.10 for the first four hours and Rs.30 for four to eight hours. For two wheelers the new rates are Rs.5 for four hours and Rs.10 for four to eight hours.

Group C parking lots include government offices, Railway Museum, Supreme Court, High Court, Mandi House and all hospitals where rates for the cars are Rs.10 for four hours and Rs.30 beyond four hours, while the rates for two wheelers will be Rs.5 and Rs.10.

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