NDMC extends fee hike at parking lots in Delhi

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will continue to charge enhanced parking fees until April 30 or the withdrawal of Grap stage 2, as part of efforts to combat air pollution. The fees were doubled in November 2023 and apply to both NDMC-operated parking lots and those managed by private concessionaires. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not yet enforced a parking fee hike. Experts have called for a more comprehensive and uniform policy on parking fees across the city.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to continue charging enhanced fees at New Delhi parking lots under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to combat air pollution. In an order issued on Wednesday, the civic body said that the enhanced fee will continue to apply till April 30 or the withdrawal of Grap stage 2, whichever is earlier.

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Curbs under Grap stage 2 have been in effect in Delhi since October 21, 2023.

Under the normal parking fee slab for surface parking at NDMC parking lots, four wheelers are charged ₹20 per hour (with maximum of ₹100 for a day), while two wheelers are charged ₹10 per hour. In case of multilevel parking sites, the charges are ₹10 for four hours for cars and ₹5 up to four hours for two-wheelers.

The council on November 13, 2023 doubled these rates at parking sites that it operates, and the enhanced rates were extended to parking lots managed by private concessionaires on November 28, 2023.

In an official statement on Wednesday, NDMC said that as per statutory directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), certain actions are envisaged to be taken to prevent further deterioration of air quality, including the enhancement of parking fees.

“Accordingly, NDMC has decided to extend enhanced parking fees till April 30. NDMC has taken the decision based on the CAQM order. The enhancement of parking fees carried out by earlier has been extended till April 30 or withdrawal of order CAQM, whichever is earlier,” the statement said.

To be sure, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which manages around 96% of Delhi’s geographical area, has still not enforced a hike in parking rates. MCD last increased parking rates as part of Grap curbs in November 2017.

The MCD executive wing had moved a proposal to empower the municipal commissioner to enforce these parking fee hikes, but the policy matter was postponed in a house meeting held on January 29.

Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said, “Agencies will have to increase the enforcement and we need a more comprehensive uniform policy for this measure across the city. It is a form of congestion pricing but it will not make any impact unless while Delhi is considered at policy level rather than each local body deciding its own rules.”