SDMC parking fees hike to be withdrawn from tomorrow: Official

The parking fees in areas falling under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which were quadrupled a week ago, will now be restored to the previous rates from tomorrow, the civic body said today.
The SMDC and the other two municipal corporations -- the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation -- had effected a four-time hike in the fees from November 9, following the order by Lt Governor Anil Baijal in view of the high-level of pollution in the city.
The North and East Delhi corporations, however, said, they will continue with the revised rates.
"We have written to the government to take up aerial sprinkling of water from towering buildings, as we have those structures under our jurisdiction. And, also on measures to be taken from garbage removal from the streets.

"This hike was for a week-long period only as mentioned in the previous SDMC order. So, from November 16, the old rates will apply for the parking fees," a senior SDMC official said.
The SDMC administers several upscale markets, including Khan Market, Sarojini Nagar Market and Central Market.

The NDMC runs 104 parking lots while the EDMC has over 40 under its jurisdiction.
The revised rates for cars were Rs 80 per hour and Rs 400 for 24 hours, according to the SDMC order. "For two-wheelers, it would be Rs 40 per hour and Rs 200 hours," it had said.

Sources in the SDMC said that patrons who came to park vehicles in the lots engaged in "heated exchanges" with the staff on duty over the hike.
Many even parked their vehicles along the road side or outside the designated areas. So, due to these factors, the hike was withdrawn, they said.
Baijal had directed that agencies such as the municipal corporations and the Delhi Metro to strictly enforce the decisions taken by the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA), including hiking parking fares by four times, in the wake of severe air pollution in the city.