New Delhi: An increase
in parking fee, imposing congestion tax and a 10-fold hike in fine for parking
violations are among the top recommendations of a special panel to decongest
Delhi.
The high-powered
committee set up by Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, in its 126-page
report, said parking fee must be based on the area of the city, duration of
parking and size of the vehicle. It also sought making parking on footpaths as
cognisable offence under Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, according to an
official release.
As the Delhi government
works on removing the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), the panel in contrast
recommended building more such corridors. It also said that 6,000 more buses
should be procured for public transport and the fares be priced less than per/km
cost of running a two-wheeler.
The report also
suggested creating walking, cycling infrastructure and mandatory provision of
footpaths on all roads along with interventions worth Rs 20,000 crore
through BRTS.
The inter-ministerial
committee on ‘Decongestion of Traffic in Delhi’ was set up in 2014 following
media reports on massive traffic congestion in the national capital.
Headed by Urban
Development Ministry Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the panel has representatives from
19 different ministries, Delhi Police, among others.
“The Committee
concluded that the explosive growth in automobile population needs to be
checked quickly by adopting a 'carrot and stick'' policy of enabling increased
use of public and non-motorised transport and disincentivising use of private
vehicles through deterrent parking pricing and congestion tax,” it said.
The panel in its report
has opposed construction of flyovers and signal-free corridors alleging that
they invited more private vehicles on the roads.
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