Costly one-time parking charges dropped for Delhi cars

Recently, Delhi Transport Department approved that Delhi car buyers will have to pay higher one-time parking charges in 2019 after arecommendation for a hike by three municipal corporations of the city. According to the order, the charges will now range between Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 75,000. Now, the huge hike in the one-time parking chages has been dropped.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot took to Twitter and wrote, ''Transport dept has been directed to withdraw the order dt 21.12.2018 reg increase in parking charges in South/East/North Delhi Municipal Corporations. Owners of Commercial/Non commercial vehicles need not deposit the enhanced parking fee till the matter has been examined afresh''. 

Transport dept has been directed to withdraw the order dt 21.12.2018 reg increase in parking charges in South/East/North Delhi Municipal Corporations. Owners of Commercial/Non commercial vehicles need not deposit the enhanced parking fee till the matter has been examined afresh.

— Kailash Gahlot (@kgahlot) December 24, 2018

Earlier, the charges were decided to cost between Rs 6,000 and Rs 75,000 per car. The Delhi Transport Department, which collects the parking charges on behalf of the MCDs, has approved the recommendation for the hike by three municipal corporations of the city.

The order, issued by outgoing transport commissioner Varsha Joshi on Friday, angered bus and taxi operators as the annual parking fee for different categories of commercial vehicles will rise from the existing Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000-Rs 25,000.

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According to the order, based on the cost of a vehicle, the one-time parking charge for private cars and SUVs will range between Rs 6,000 and Rs 75,000 -- 18 times the existing rate of Rs 4,000.

The process of charging the money during vehicle registration is prescribed through a notification of Union Urban Affairs Ministry not by the transport department, Joshi, who has taken charge as North Delhi Municipal Corporation's commissioner, told news agency PTI.

The parking charges mechanism will be replaced by spot parking fees after new parking regulations are notified by the Delhi government, she said. "Till then this mechanism will be applicable. So, we followed an urban affairs ministry notification and issued these orders," she added.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, however, denied having any information about the hike. "I am not aware of any such decision," he said.Earlier,

Shyam Lal Gola, spokesperson of State Transport Authority Operators Ekta Manch also said earlier, "We will meet the chief minister and the transport minister on Monday against the hike because it will impact us negatively. If need be, we will resort to a strike also''.