In a move to encourage drivers to use multi-level parking areas, rather than streets, civic bodies will levy just one-third charges of surface parking at multi-level facilities. According to parking management area plan (PMAP) for the national Capital, the policy being firmed up by the Delhi Government seeks to decongest the city and also make it pedestrian-friendly.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Deputy Commissioner Prem Shankar Jha said, “The idea is to come up with a holistic parking policy for the city that addresses the needs of pedestrians. We want to discourage long-term surface parking and incentivise multi-level parking to keep the city decongested.”
“So, in the plan, we have proposed that charges for multi-level parking should be one-third of the rates of surface parking,” the official said.
The SDMC is the nodal civic body engaged for the PMAP, which also includes disallowing parking within 25 metre from roundabouts and traffic intersections, the official said.
The PMAP, which came into effect in February this year, is part of the draft parking policy for Delhi being finalised by the Arvind Kejriwal Government.
It has proposed a number of variable charges for residential and commercial areas; these charges are envisioned to impact the demand for parking space in Delhi.
“The proposals made by us (nodal agency) have been taken up positively by the Delhi Government’s Transport Department. The policy is yet to be notified,” he said.
The current parking charges for North, East and South Delhi Municipal Corporations (NMC, EDMC, SDMC) are Rs 20 per hour for cars and Rs 10 for two-wheelers. For 24 hours, it is subject to a maximum of Rs 200 for cars and Rs 100 for two-wheelers.
“lajpat Nagar and Kailash Colony areas in South Delhi have been identified for model parking facilities, which would be developed according to the parking plan that also envisages to address spill-over of vehicles,” Jha said.
“As per the plan, it will have three segments — parking, non-parking and transit. The transit segment will be for auto-rickshaws, cabs and other commercial vehicles which would be used as pick-up-and-drop facilities. Besides, there would be pedestrian spaces for ease of people’s movement,” he said.
The transit parking facility is being built near lajpat Nagar’s Central Market and land has been earmarked for another facility at Kailash Colony, he said.