Two weeks on, MCD is yet to hike parking fees under GRAP Stage-II

Suruchi Kumari

NEW DELHI While Delhi’s worsening air quality leaves citizens gasping for breath, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is yet to increase the parking charges, a crucial anti-pollution measure, under Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), even two weeks after the order came into effect.

According to officials, the proposal to hike parking charges, aimed at discouraging private vehicle use, is still awaiting approval from the civic body’s House. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage-II of GRAP on October 19 after Delhi’s air quality slipped into the ‘very poor’ category. Among the 12 prescribed measures under GRAP-II is an increase in parking fees to limit vehicular emissions.

Proposal to be tabled

Studies, including one by IIT Kanpur, have shown that vehicles account for nearly 20% of Delhi’s PM2.5 levels, a major contributor to the Capital’s toxic smog. “A proposal to double parking fees in compliance with GRAP-II will be tabled in the next House meeting due in the coming weeks. We cannot raise the rates without the House’s consent. A similar proposal last year was referred and eventually rejected,” said an MCD official.

Currently, the MCD operates 430 parking lots across the city, including 14 multilevel facilities. The prevailing rates are ₹20 per hour for four-wheelers and ₹10 per hour for two-wheelers, with a maximum daily cap of ₹100 and ₹50 respectively. The civic body has also considered giving its commissioner the authority to adjust fees when required, but the plan has not materialised so far. “We have explored several ways to increase the rates, including rationalising parking fees based on location and footfall, but none have succeeded,” the official added.

NDMC rate revision

The last significant revision occurred in November 2017, when parking charges were quadrupled under GRAP measures. In contrast, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) already implemented the fee hike. On October 29, it issued an order doubling parking charges for all off-road and indoor facilities until GRAP-II restrictions are lifted. “In compliance with the above and keeping in view the prevailing climatic conditions, the parking fee has been enhanced to twice the existing rates till revocation of Stage-II of GRAP,” the NDMC order stated.

Under NDMC’s revised rates, four-wheelers are now charged ₹40 per hour and two-wheelers ₹20 per hour, while bus parking costs have risen from ₹150 to ₹300 per hour. An MCD official cited hurdles, noting that most of its parking lots are managed by private contractors. “If the proposal is approved, we will need to update contracts with concessionaires, which could delay implementation,” the official explained..