Delhi Govt Bans Parking On Footpaths, Okays Plan To Park Cars In Residential Areas

The Delhi government has notified its parking policy, banning parking on footpaths and allowing civic agencies to prepare a plan for cars within residential areas. To discourage long-duration parking on streets, the policy provides for incremental increase in fees.

Under the Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, 2019, notified on September 23, the civic agencies will consider developing open areas near the colonies as parking lots on payment basis.

Regular shuttle services may be prescribed as a part of parking facility, the charge for which will be included in the parking fee. "Further, the owners of vacant plots in the residential colonies and commercial areas should be authorised for use of these plots as parking places against parking fees.

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"Upon permission to use such vacant plot also as multi-level parking under building by-laws, such plots can be used as such for that purpose," the policy stated. It added that appropriate tax measures may be adopted by civic agencies to incentivise this process. "Parking on footpaths shall be strictly prohibited and civic agencies shall tow such illegally parked vehicles.

"On all lanes and streets, a lane must be earmarked for unhindered movement of emergency vehicles like ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles etc. No parking shall be allowed on this lane," it stated.

The policy provides for electric vehicle charging and battery swapping facility in each parking lot. The rules provide for two times higher parking fee for on-street parking vis-a-vis off-street parking.

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Also, on-street parking fee will increase exponentially with time to discourage long duration of on-street parking, according to the rules. Traffic police will be responsible for towing away vehicles parked on 60-foot wide road. In case of other roads, civic agencies will do this.

Towing charges and custody charges will vary as per type of the vehicle. It will be Rs 200 for two wheelers and Rs 400 for light passenger vehicle.