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Encroachment of parking space a cause for concern in twin cities

Thursday, 09 October 2014 10:01 administrator
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The Hindu       09.10.2014  

Encroachment of parking space a cause for concern in twin cities

Proposal to set up a squad to curb the menace yet to be a reality

Motorists will have to scramble for parking space in Hubli-Dharwad, and parking vehicles on the pavements is a common phenomenon.—Photo: Kiran Bakale
Motorists will have to scramble for parking space in Hubli-Dharwad, and parking vehicles on the pavements is a common phenomenon.—Photo: Kiran Bakale

With parking lots in commercial complexes again being encroached upon for running businesses, the problem of parking vehicles in the twin cities has worsened in the last two years.

The failure of the municipal corporation to take up the issue and the increasing number of new vehicles has added to the problem. Consequently, motorists have to scramble for parking space and often end up parking on pavements.

Illegal structures

The issue was taken up for the first time in 2005, along with that of illegal structures in the twin cities when the then municipal commissioner P. Manivannan initiated a phase-wise demolition drive to clear encroachments.

Mr. Manivannan extended the initiative through a ‘sealing drive’ against commercial buildings not having completion certificates. He succeeded in getting basements of many commercial complexes cleared for parking.

However, after his departure, the alleged laxity of officials resulted in these spaces being encroached upon again, which made Municipal Commissioner K.V. Trilokchandra to initiate a drive against such encroachments in 2011.

Having served notice to over 260 buildings, Mr. Trilokchandra succeeded in making several building owners clear the encroachments on their own, while the rest were removed through a demolition drive by the municipal corporation.

However, with no strict adherence to building bylaws while issuing completion certificates, several commercial complexes have come up with little space allotted for parking. Discussions to keep a ‘regular squad’ to act against encroachments have not materialised.

Displeasure

During his visit to Hubli in February 2014, Upalokayukta Justice Subhash Adi expressed displeasure over the issue and directed municipal officials to clear encroachments over parking lots within a period of three months. But barring a discussion on the issue in the HDMC council meeting, nothing has be done.

Last month, while initiating a cleanliness drive, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Rajendra Cholan and in-charge Municipal Commissioner C.W. Shakeel Ahmad promised to take up an extensive drive. Till date, there have been no signs of it.

Municipal corporation yet to take up the issue

The number of vehicles has gone up too

 

DDA’s mega housing scheme extended till October 15

Thursday, 09 October 2014 07:56 administrator
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The Hindu           09.10.2014   

DDA’s mega housing scheme extended till October 15

Just a day before the mega housing scheme was to close, the Delhi Development Authority on Wednesday extended the date of form submission to October 15. Now people can submit the forms in the 13 empanelled banks and their designated branches till 5 p.m. on October 15.

Meanwhile, the DDA also announced November 5 as the tentative date for draw of lots.

A committee headed by a retired High Court judge and two IT professionals -- one from IIT-Delhi and one from government’s National Informatics Centre -- will be supervising the draw.

Earlier, the last date of form submission was October 9.

However, owing to bank holidays on various religious occasions in the first week of October, the DDA was mulling extending the date. The land agency had earlier said it would be taking a decision on extending the date near the closing of the scheme.

It is to be noted that while the agency has sold over 16 lakh forms, it has received only about 90,000 applications despite going all out by uploading a video on how to fill a form on its website.

The low number of forms received does not go well with the initial response the scheme had generated leading to the DDA website crashing within minutes after the launch of the scheme on September 1.

 

SMC not to levy entry fee at gardens

Tuesday, 07 October 2014 12:22 administrator
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The Times of India       07.10.2014 

SMC not to levy entry fee at gardens

 

SURAT: The BJP-ruled Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has rejected a proposal that advocated levying of entry fee on people visiting municipal gardens set up for public recreation in the city. It also deferred a decision on increasing the tree plantation charges collected from developers.

"The gardens are used by a number of people. Entry fee would keep people away from coming to the gardens. These gardens were built for them. How can we charge entry fee from people?" SMC standing committee chairman Nirav Shah asked while announcing the rejection of the proposal after a discussion here on Saturday.

The SMC would now try to generate extra income by creating more food courts and selling advertisement rights in the city. The proposal was moved by the administrative wing of the municipal corporation. It wanted the civic body to charge fee for entry of people to Gandhi Baug, Jyotindra Dave Udyan, Chowpathy, Floral Garden, Lakeview Garden and, Dr Shymaparasad Mukherjee Lake Garden. At least one lakh people visit these gardens every month. SMC officials argued that levy of entry fee would help the civic body raise around Rs 90 lakh per annum from the visitors. They said the SMC already charged people for entry to Ugat Botanical Garden and Navin Florin Garden and that it should be made applicable for other gardens too.

However, the BJP corporators were against the proposal. On tree plantation charge, the standing committee postponed the decision until Diwali.

 
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