With pollution levels in the Capital seeing a drop, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has withdrawn inflated parking charges in their lots as was ordered under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
In a statement issued by the SDMC on Wednesday, the civic body said that the old parking charges will be applicable from Thursday. The decision has been taken on orders passed by South Delhi Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat.
“…as a result of this, chaotic traffic conditions had occurred and traffic jams were reported from many areas, though a considerable portion of the authorised parking areas remained vacant,” the SDMC said in a statement.
The statement read that in several parking lots reports of violence and arguments by visitors were reported.
They said that cases were also reported of visitors deciding not to park their vehicles in these lots and parking along roadsides and other unauthorised spaces, which was causing problems.
Dip in air quality
Following orders form the Lieutenant-Governor after the air quality in the city dipped drastically last week, the SDMC had increased the parking rates by four times. This came into effect on November 9.
As against the ₹20 per hour for parking, people had to pay as much as ₹80 for parking their cars for an hour. This was done to discourage people from using private vehicles. From Thursday, however, the old rates of ₹20 per hour will be implemented in the SDMC lots.
The North and the East Delhi Municipal Corporations confirmed that the increased parking rates will continue till orders to withdraw these are issued by the L-G. “The inflated rates will continue till we receive an order from the L-G. In all the parking lots under the North Corporation, visitors will have to pay ₹80 per hour,” said a senior north corporation official.
Though the air quality has slipped from the ‘severe’ category, the pollution levels in Delhi are still ‘very poor’.