Malls charge parking fee despite ban in south Delhi

Two swanky shopping malls in south Delhi have run afoul of the law by continuing charging patrons a parking fee despite civic and court injunctions against it.

Select City Walk in Saket and Ambience in Vasant Kunj have been levying a fee from visitors to allow them to park vehicles, claims a petition filed in the Delhi High Court last month.

The plea, filed on February 26 by Sanjey Puri, the activist who had first petitioned against the parking charge at malls, states that the two shopping complexes are still at it, and urges that the municipal corporation crack down on them.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Delhi High Court had in 2015 ordered that shopping malls and hospitals cannot charge parking fees from visitors, since these institutions are provided a floor area ratio larger than other buildings precisely to accommodate such services. In case they want to impose the fees, they must take a licence from the corporation for engaging in commercial activity.

Approached for comment, Select City Walk public relations cell said, "The fee is being charged only in the parking area, the land for which was bought by the government, for its upkeep." DNA's efforts to elicit a response from Ambience did not yield fruit.

Puri said he has also shot off a complaint letter , corroborated with parking receipts, to the civic administration. South Corporation mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, however, said he has not seen the complaint yet. "But I will ask the deputy commissioner to inspect these malls." The HC order states that the civic body has to launch an inquiry and take appropriate action if malls are found flouting the order.