GHMC's parking policy unveiled a few days ago has started to yield dividends though there is still some confusion over allotment of slots to the women self-help groups (SHGs).
In the first tranche of public auction called for 21 parking slots, an amount of Rs. 53 lakh was realised. It was more than double of what officials were expecting and in some slots, amounts bid for the one-year period was three or four times more than the revenue obtained last year.
It indicated the botched up policy of the last few years when revenue from parking slots dwindled to less than Rs. 45 lakh a year for the entire city of 18 circles from a high of Rs. 1.2 crore garnered by the erstwhile MCH of just seven circles.
“Clearly the immense revenue potential was negated due to vested interests, including those from the workers unions and officials,” remarked a senior official. Excited with the results, officials are now preparing for auction of the remaining 38 slots identified for open bidding. Fifty-nine of the 162 parking slots in all the five zones are under this category.
But, there is going to be delay in allotting slots for SHGs as the deadline for applications was extended once again following representations from the political parties. Even as 12 SHGs received allotment letters, there were protests that officials had erroneously prevented SHGs from applying outside their circle.
Bowing to the demand, SHGs have been allowed to apply for slots within a zone. Yet the defaulting groups of last year were ineligible to participate. If there is more than one application, selection would be by draw of lots and the winning party has to pay 50 per cent advance amount of the price fixed for a slot, explained an official.
Price band is between Rs.10,000 to Rs. 60,000 depending on the location. Officials are hoping that the revenue from this source could be up to Rs. 2 crore.
The Estates wing had also issued notices to current leaseholders and tenants of its vacant lands, markets and shopping complexes preparing ground for raising the rents. “We have completed an inventory of all our properties and many rates were revised for several years. We also want to take up repairs of old structures,” said a senior official.
Little more than 2,300 shops, 27 markets and 21 commercial complexes are owned by the civic body. Efforts are also on to “search” for 40,000 sq.ft of missing 116 plots from its records taking help of retired staff.
