The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has issued a public notice stating that malls and private hospitals in its jurisdiction can no longer charge parking fees from individuals. This rule should extend to all commercial establishments, including markets.
As far as I can remember, a similar notification was issued in the past, but the parking mafia defaced it and continued to charge hefty amounts from car owners for parking. If the authorities want to make parking free why don't they do it on their own? Why do they not penalise the parking mafia and put them behind bars?
It is true that most cities face space crunch for parking, as the number of cars/vehicles is increasing at a rate much higher than the number of roads that can accommodate them. But it is up to the authorities to provide space for parking. Car owners do pay one-time parking charges at the time of buying a new car. What is that for, then? A survey has found that taxes paid by a car owner account for 65 per cent of the cost of his/her vehicle.
Cars are a necessity, not a luxury. Public transport is not adequate in most cities. Hence, parking should be made free or uniform charges should apply. This should apply to the entire country.
M Kumar New Delhi
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