Rourkela Municipal Corporation issues directive on parking fees

ROURKELA:  After receiving several complaints, Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) has finally issued an order restraining commercial complexes from illegally charging exorbitant parking fees from their customers.

On September 6, the RMC commissioner Dr Subhankar Mohapatra issued the order stating that all commercial establishments, hospitals and housing projects, are required to provide mandatory off-road parking as per the provisions of the Rourkela development authority - planning and building standard (RDA-P&BS) Regulations, 2017 and Odisha Development Authority Rules (ODA-P&BS) 2020, describing the charging of parking spaces illegal. 

The order further exempted parking lots from the calculation of built-up area towards floor area ratio (FAR) and warned the concerned parties of action if they did not immediately stop charging parking fees.
According to sources, several malls and multiplexes were allegedly charging four-wheelers around Rs 30 to Rs 40 while two-wheelers got charged Rs 10 and other vehicles asked to pay Rs 20 for three-hour parking.

A host of well-known shopping complexes including Style Bazar, Vishal Mega Mart, Indera Garments, City Super Bazar, Tanishq and Khimji among others too, did not have their own parking lots but no action was taken against them, claimed the locals.

RDA sources said that it was mandatory to have parking areas of 25 per cent, 30 pc and 40 pc reserved for residential apartments, mid-size and large commercial establishments respectively, on the basis of FAR and the built-up area further adding that violation in providing the same would lead to the respective buildings getting sealed.

“The commercial establishments have been profiting from the illegally-imposed parking fees and whoever refused to pay for them, were forced to park on the roads, further aggravating the parking problem in the city,” complained a local Shiv Shankar Sharma.