The Hindu        26.09.2014  

Corporation to frame bylaw to fix parking fee

The city Corporation has decided to frame a bylaw to enable it fix parking fee for commercial complexes, private hospitals, and theatres.

The council, which met here on Thursday, passed a resolution, moved by the standing committee on finance seeking to appoint a Revenue Officer to prepare the bylaw.

Deputy Mayor Happy Kumar said the civic body now lacked the powers to curb the levy of parking fee by private establishments.

The rules would give the civic body the authority to fix the parking fee and intervene effectively in the event of violations. Hospitals such as KIMS, YCDC Dermatology clinic, SUT, and some theatre owners had sought permission to collect fee for vehicles parked on their premises, he said.

The civic body could serve notices on those collecting parking fee but it would not stand legal scrutiny as the present laws governing the corporation was silent on this aspect, he said.

Councillors of the United Democratic Front (UDF) criticised the civic body for not taking steps to prevent private establishments from ‘fleecing the public.’

The council passed by voice vote a resolution moved by the standing committee on health seeking no-objection certificates to two bars to start beer and wine parlours. The UDF members opposed the resolution but the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) passed the resolution with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

UDF councillors said the BJP was extending support to start beer and wine parlours when its leaders were speaking in favour of prohibition. UDF councillors staged a walkout after LDF councillors supported a resolution urging the State government to withdraw the recent hike in water tariff and the imposition of additional taxes.