Users currently pay Rs 20 per hour for the first five hours, and a flat rate of Rs 100
Those who leave their cars and two-wheelers in parking lots for more than five hours may soon have to pay more.
The new rates are likely to be effective first in New Delhi's central business district of Connaught Place (CP) from July.
In CP, users currently pay Rs 20 per hour for the first five hours, and a flat rate of Rs 100. This means a person can leave his/her car in a CP parking lot for as long as three days just by paying Rs 100.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has now proposed to lift the Rs 100 cap, forcing users to keep paying Rs 20 per hour even after the five-hour limit.
The proposal is part of the civic body's Smart Parking Project aimed at ridding CP of congestion. The NDMC also wants to turn many parking lots into no-parking zones.
Connaught Place is a traffic nightmare on most days, especially on weekends and public holidays.
The NDMC could not find bidders for the project in the last two years. It has now shortlisted an implementing agency and has decided to complete the project by the year-end.
"Under the project, there will be no cap. One will be charged Rs 20 for every extra hour even after the current five-hour limit. However, we are still to decide charges for overnight parking," a senior NDMC official said.
In the first phase, the NDMC will develop 88 surface parking lots, which will eliminate on-road parking. Currently, vehicle-owners park on streets and main roads of CP circles used as paid parking lots.
"We have approved a tender. Each smart parking lot will be developed in an area of 3,400 square meters. The contractor will start work on the project soon," the officer said.
The NDMC comes under the Union Ministry of Urban Development. The CP plan is likely to be extended to other key parts of the city. The plan also comes at a time when the AAP-led Delhi government is about to come up with a new parking policy for the city.
The parking zones will be equipped with sensor-based barriers and automatic fee-collection centres. Besides, one will not have to struggle to find a slot, as there will be display screens showing the numbers of cars parked and free slots.
The NDMC also plans to get three cranes to tow away vehicles parked in non-designated places.
Of the 88 parking lots, the biggest one will come up at Palika Kendra with a capacity of 1,000 vehicles, followed by one at Shivaji Stadium for 750 vehicles.
Another lot will be developed near Akashdeep building which can take in 164 cars and 50 two-wheelers. The one near Jeevan Bharti building will have 135 vehicles. Another at F Block (inner circle) will accommodate around 100 vehicles.
EXISTING RATES
- Users currently pay Rs 20 per hour for the first five hours, and a flat rate of Rs 100
- This means a person can leave his/her car in a parking lot for as long as three days just by paying Rs 100
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Connaught Place")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}