The Hindu      11.07.2016  

DDA’s ‘gifts’ not enough for cash-strapped civic bodies

Money churner:Among the parking sites transferred are those in Nehru
Place and Janakpuri in South Delhi, Rajendra Place and Netaji Subhash
Place in North Delhi.File photo

The Delhi Development Authority may have gifted the
three municipal corporations over 50 parking sites recently to help them
boost revenue, but for the cash-strapped civic bodies these won’t make
much difference.

The DDA had announced on April 27
that it would transfer the work of operating and maintaining its parking
facilities in commercial centres to the municipalities in the interest
of better and more efficient services.

In many
markets and commercial centres, the DDA owned the land, while the
municipal corporation concerned carried out sanitation work. The parking
was outsourced to a private agency.

“…It has been
decided to transfer this revenue stream from parking to the municipal
corporations, which would boost the revenues of the Corporation as the
services transferred to them involve substantial expenditure,” a DDA
statement said.

While the corporations have no
ownership rights over the land, a total of 54 parking sites, both
currently in use and vacant, were recently transferred to the
corporations for operation and maintenance.

The North
and East Delhi municipal corporations, which have been undergoing a
severe financial crisis, have been handed over 15 and 11 sites
respectively. However, the addition is unlikely to make a dent in their
mounting woes.

Not quite enough

“These
additional parking lots will not have a major impact on our revenue. It
is a welcome step nonetheless. What we need is the Delhi government to
release the thousands of crores it owes to the corporations,” said
Parvesh Wahi, chairperson of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s
Standing Committee.

The South Delhi Municipal
Corporation, which is the only financially-stable civic agency, has been
given 28 parking lots by the DDA.

Subhash Arya,
Leader of the House in the SDMC, said the parking sites would not make
much of a difference, but the transfer from DDA would improve services.

“All
parking lots in an area would be maintained by one agency, making the
delivery of services more efficient,” said Mr. Arya, adding that the
SDMC made Rs.30 crore to Rs.35 crore from its 78 parking lots annually.

Among
the parking sites transferred are those in Nehru Place and Janakpuri in
South Delhi, Rajendra Place and Netaji Subhash Place in North Delhi,
and Laxmi Nagar and Karkardooma in East Delhi.

At
present, the parking sites are being integrated into the existing system
of the corporations, before they are outsourced to private agencies.