Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is mulling over annulling trade licences of commercial establishments such as malls, theatres, and hospitals if they continue to collect parking fee from vehicle users at their basements flouting its new diktat on free parking.
If the traders carry on flouting the order in spite of cancelling the trade licence, water supply to such establishments will be cut. If need be, criminal complaint will be lodged against such establishments.
Disclosing this to The Hindu, MCC Commissioner G. Jagadeesha said the MCC lays down parking requirement for a commercial building depending on the number of floors and dimension of the building. Accordingly, the licences are issued asking for setting aside parking space in the basement or on the surface within its premises in case of no basement provision.
Claiming that the MCC was the first city corporation in the State and the fourth city in the country to have taken such a stand, the Commissioner said such an order was being enforced in cities like Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Chennai.
“I have come to know that complaints have been lodged against commercial establishments for collecting parking fee from their customers or clients at their basements in Hyderabad,” he said.
Arguing that vehicle users were forced to park their vehicles along the sides of roads to avoid paying a fee for parking at some places here, he described collection of fee for parking in basements by commercial establishments as “illegal” as it amounts to trade which is not permissible.
When asked about government institutions such as KSRTC collecting parking fee at the basement of mofussil bus stand here, he said KSRTC had availed building licence from the MCC and even it is bound to obey the rule no matter the parking lot is operated by it or others. “The order applies to all,” he said.
No response to
pay-and-park
Mr. Jagadeesha said the pay-and-park scheme on public roads was a different concept and cannot be compared with the stand taken by the MCC on parking in basements of commercial establishments. The Commissioner, however, said there has been no response to tenders called thrice by the MCC inviting interested parties to operate the pay-and-park scheme on D. Devaraja Urs Road, the city’s prime commercial hub.
“The MCC is now mulling over operating the pay-and-park scheme on its own because the tender process had attracted poor response. A decision will be taken soon,” he added.
