Parking in Connaught Place has always been an issue for visitors, who complain of higher rates charged by the agencies. Adding to their woes, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to remove the current cap of Rs 100 on parking fees.
At present, those parking their vehicles in Connaught Place pay Rs 20 per hour for the first five hours and a flat rate of Rs 100 beyond that. As per reports, the cap will be removed and users will have to pay extra charges on an hourly basis.
"There will be no cap on the parking charges. One will be charged Rs 20 for every extra hour even after the current five-hour limit. Earlier, even if somebody was parking for three to four days he or she was liable to pay only Rs 100," said a senior official of NDMC, which ensures upkeep and maintenance of parking lots.
There will be extra charges for parking at night and the rates will be decided soon. The new rates will come into effect from July and will likely to be effective first in New Delhi's central business district of Connaught Place.
Parking problems in Connaught Place came to the fore in January when the Urban Development Ministry announced a plan to make the area 'vehicle free' to decongest the area. The NDMC had said that cars and buses will not be allowed into Connaught Place for three months starting February. The ban was said to be part of a pilot Smart City project.
As part of the project, the inner and middle circles of Connaught Place – the commercial area built by Edwin Lutyens in 1933 – was announced to be barred from traffic.
'Park and ride' services on cycles and battery-operated vehicles were said to be offered in the surrounding parking areas at Shivaji Stadium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Palika Bazar parking.
The total parking capacity at these three locations is 3,172 and only 1,088 vehicles are parked on an average, the Council had said.
However, due to inadequate parking facilities and lack of e-rickshaws to help last mile connectivity, the project is yet to take off.