Delhi L-G calls for uniform parking rates across Delhi

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday directed civic and transport agencies to adopt uniform parking charges across Delhi and launch joint enforcement drives against illegal parking, as the Capital continues to grapple with parking shortages and congestion, according to a press release from Lok Niwas.

The L-G asked the MCD, NDMC, DDA and DMRC to coordinate the development of new parking facilities and ensure existing sites are fully utilised. He also called for an early framework for a unified parking authority for Delhi, with the MCD, NDMC, DDA and Delhi Police tasked with preparing a proposal, the statement said.

The directions came at a meeting with senior officials from the civic bodies, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Traffic Police to review parking infrastructure and mobility issues.

Mr. Sandhu asked officials to conduct joint enforcement drives around existing surface and multi-level parking facilities to prevent unauthorised parking and improve their utilisation. Resident welfare associations and market bodies are also to be involved in the enforcement efforts.

Parking charges currently vary across agencies. The MCD’s base rate for cars is ₹20 an hour, compared with ₹50 an hour for on-street parking under the NDMC and ₹30 for up to six hours at DMRC facilities.

The L-G also directed officials to explore FASTag-based payments, app-based real-time parking information and automated sensor ticketing. The agencies were asked to examine dedicated EV charging points at public parking facilities and the integration of MCD and NDMC parking data with navigation platforms.

According to Traffic Police data shared at the meeting, 13.34 lakh challans and 5.54 lakh notices were issued for unauthorised parking between January 1 and October 5 this year, while 1.24 lakh vehicles were towed.

The MCD currently operates 463 parking sites and plans to add 79 more by December. The DMRC, meanwhile, has Park-and-Ride facilities at 127 of its 242 Delhi-NCR stations, with capacity for nearly 1.35 lakh vehicles.