One of the measures the Delhi government announced this week for the upcoming winter pollution season is to double parking rates. However, past experience shows that the move has not been effective in areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which manages more than 96% of the city’s geographical area, has failed to implement it consistently.
A senior municipal official involved in parking management said councillors never signed of on the proposal again. Enforcing higher rates in MCD areas requires approval from the civic body’s elected council, which has routinely blocked the proposal. “We cannot directly increase the parking fee. There are contractual obligations with private parking contractors. This measure was also a part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) during higher stages of GRAP.
The last time parking fees were raised in MCD areas to combat seasonal smog was in November 2017, when charges were quadrupled under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
We need sanction from the councillors to increase the parking fee,” the official said.
“Agencies will have to increase enforcement against illegal parking and we need a more comprehensive, uniform policy for this measure across the city.
Dr S Velmurugan, former chief scientist at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said Delhi needed stronger enforcement and a more comprehensive, uniform policy to reduce congestion. It is a form of congestion pricing, but it will not make any impact unless structural changes are made,” he said.
