The Times of India                08.10.2013

PMC plans pay-n-park on 15 roads

PUNE: The civic administration on Monday proposed to reintroduce pay-and-park scheme for two-wheelers on 15 main roads of city, the reluctance of elected representatives notwithstanding.

The administration proposed Rs 3 for two-wheeler parking for the first hour and Rs 5 for every subsequent hour.

The civic administration on Monday tabled the proposal before all party leaders meeting held in the PMC headquarters in Shivajinagar. Though the party leaders refrained from taking a decision and decided to forward the proposal to the civic standing committee, the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supported it.

The civic body had earlier withdrawn the scheme in 2010 after stringent opposition from civic groups. Since then, the civic administration has repeatedly pushed for two-wheeler pay-and-park proposal, but in futile. However, the PMC has already implemented pay-and-park for four-wheelers on city roads and charges Rs 10 per hour.

In its proposal on Monday, the civic administration stated that the police department had asked either for pay-and-park on main roads or no parking zones. "Considering the security reasons cited by the police, the PMC has to take a decision," the administration has stated in its proposal.

According to the civic administration, the tendency to park vehicles on roads is on the rise in the city because of insufficient parking space. It has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, accidents and slow traffic movement. As the central areas in the city have been developed as per the earlier development control rules, the existing parking facility is falling short. To curb parking on roads and to facilitate smooth traffic flow, a pay-and-park system is a must.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has sought the reintroduction of the scheme. Leader of the House in the PMC and NCP corporator Subhash Jagtap speaking to reporters said, "The proposal is appropriate considering security reasons. We will take a final call in the GB meeting."

The standing committee will take a decision on the proposal and forward it to the GB for final decision after which the scheme could be implemented.