Even as the three municipalities retract the hiked parking rates, upon orders from the Lieutenant-Governor, from Friday, parking attendants across lots managed by the north, south and east civic bodies said the increase in rates did not deter visitors from using their private vehicles.
“There hasn’t been any noticeable change since rates were increased. In fact, many cars were parked outside the lots and more were parked inside,” said Suraj Kumar, parking attendant at the Sri Aurobindo Marg parking lot managed by the SDMC.
Mr. Kumar said that the space has a capacity of 100 cars. The lot usually sees between 800 and 1,000 cars a day and the number has not gone down since November 9, when the new rates were implemented.
Parking lots around north and east Delhi also saw no noticeable dip in number of cars after the hike in rates. “Most people bargained initially and certain lots saw verbal spats and even physical altercations. But people have not stopped parking here or getting their cars out in general,” said an attendant at the Meena Bazar parking lot in Old Delhi’s Jama Masjid.
‘No loss of business’
A senior north corporation official said several contractors were worried that the implementation of the increased rates will lead to losses. “Many expressed apprehensions that new rates might bring down business but it was an arrangement for a few days and didn’t affect the influx of vehicles,” the official said.
The official said that people will be discouraged only if the parking rates are revised permanently.The official added that along with rate revision, alternatives like strengthening of public transport should be done.
