The Indian Express 23.05.2013
Soon, you'll be charged on hourly basis for parking in Sector 17
MC panel approves Rs 5 for two hours and Rs 10 for each subsequent hour for parking four-wheelers; for two-wheelers, Rs 2 will be charged for
Soon, the city residents visiting Sector 17 will have to pay more for parking their vehicles as, amidst dissent by the BJP councillors, the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation on Tuesday gave its approval to charging hourly parking rates in two paid parking lots of the sector.
The residents will have to pay Rs 5 for two hours and Rs 10 for each subsequent hour for parking four-wheelers in two paid parking lots in the sector. These paid parking lots will be made fully automated.
The F&CC also decided that several parking lots in Industrial Area, Phase I, would be converted into paid parking lots, including the one in front of Elante Mall.
As per the proposal, a fully automatic parking system will be set up at the Empire Store parking and Sahib Singh parking lot in Sector 17. For four-wheelers, Rs 5 will be paid for the first two hours and Rs 10 for every subsequent hour. For multiple entries in one day, Rs 50 will be charged. For two-wheelers, Rs 2 will be charged for the first two hours and Rs 4 for every hour subsequently. In this case, for multiple entries in a day, Rs 20 will be charged.
The fully automated parking lot would ensure that parking of vehicles is done as per the slots available. No additional vehicles can be parked as is being done at present that results in chaotic conditions. The aim behind introducing hourly parking is to avoid congestion in the parking lots.
Tenders for installation of the system for automated parking lots have already been allotted and work is under process.
The sector is a commercial hub with a large number of vehicles being parked. It is difficult to find space to park over the weekends. Officials feel that charging parking on an hourly basis would ensure that vehicles are not parked in a particular place throughout the day. This would decongest the area and people will be able to find parking spaces.
Meanwhile, giving its dissent on the issue, BJP councillors stated that instead the parking lots should be given to some private companies to manage. "Officials claim that the aim is to decongest the area and ensure people do not park vehicles here throughout the day. However, if people will not park here, they will find a space somewhere else. Hourly parking charges would not solve any problem. It will just add to the financial burden on the city residents. We have given our dissent against the proposal," says councillor Davesh Moudgil.
Several parking lots in Industrial Area would be converted into paid parking lots. The proposal had been mooted by area councillor Satish Kainth in order to check parking chaos in the area.
