READ | Parking cost to double in Delhi from November as govt unveils winter action plan
With news of parking charges set to double from November 1, he quips, “We’ll rely on these groups even more to find the hidden places, or maybe slip our parking guy an extra ₹ 100 every week or something to manage the budget.”
From November 1, Delhi will double charges at authorised parking sites until February 28, 2027, as part of its winter pollution-control measures aimed at discouraging private vehicle use, with the exemption of DMRC-owned and managed parking facilities. A 47-year-old teacher and single parent who drives daily and uses her car for childcare, groceries and errands. Ashwin Raja, 25, a technical associate at a US-based company who works from home and drives mainly for social outings, says, “Paying ₹ 80 instead of ₹ 40 for two hours isn’t that bad. If I’m paying ₹ 200 just for parking, I’d expect valet service at least! Automobile influencer and car enthusiast Utkarsh Negi, 30, agrees that many motorists may simply absorb the cost.
For some Delhiites, however, switching to public transport isn’t straightforward. She tells us on condition of anonymity, “This will definitely put a strain on my parking budget. Thankfully, my workplace has designated parking, but I use MCD parking when dropping and picking up my child from daycare and while running errands. Weekend drivers appear less worried. But if I have to park longer, I might leave my car at the nearest DMRC parking and take the Metro, or simply Uber.
“People save up for years to buy a car, not just to leave it at home and take the Metro,” he says. Cost-conscious motorists, however, he says, could increasingly turn to carpooling and public transport. “This applies especially to the younger urban professionals with limited budgets and older people (uncles) who feel reluctant to pay the increasingly higher costs of simple commutes”, Negi adds. • Use WFH days strategically: The winter framework also provides for 50% work from home in government and private offices, potentially cutting some commuters’ weekly travel.
