Can’t levy double parking fee on outside vehicles: Purohit to MC

Chandigarh, August 18

In a major development, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit directed the Municipal Corporation (MC) not to go ahead with its proposed move to charge double parking fee from vehicles registered outside the tricity.

During the Administrator’s Advisory Council meeting, Purohit took it upon himself the issue of differential parking rates. He unequivocally expressed his disapproval of such a practice and emphasised disparity in parking charges based on the vehicle’s origin was unacceptable. He directed the civic body to annul the proposal right away.

Civic body proposal that stirred row

• In its meeting on July 25, the MC decided to waive parking fee on two-wheelers and electric vehicles
• However, rates for four-wheelers, mainly those registered outside the tricity, were hiked
• Rates for tricity cars increased marginally, vehicles registered outside were to pay double amount
• At present, Rs 7 parking fee is charged for two-wheelers and Rs 14 for four-wheelers
• With a substantial number of city residents owning vehicles registered in other states, move faced severe backlash

Purohit asserted that such a disparity must not be allowed to creep in. Following this, Mayor Anup Gupta said the proposal would be reviewed in the upcoming House meeting.

In its meeting on July 25, the Municipal Corporation had approved the levy of double parking charges on four-wheelers registered outside the tricity. The move was opposed by people from all walks of life.

It’s discriminatory

Disparity in parking charges based on the vehicle’s origin is unacceptable. Such disparity must not be allowed to creep in. The civic body must annul the proposal immediately. —Banwarilal Purohit, UT Administrator

Some residents said it was not fair as the decision would have a negative impact on tourism in the city. Others said many employees working in the city had shifted to the tricity and owned vehicles registered at their native places and it was absurd to charge double parking fee from such people. Many others said Chandigarh was the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana and people had to visit the city frequently from the two states. As such, the decision was arbitrary and ill-conceived, they opined.

Senior AAP leader Pardeep Chhabra too threatened to file a PIL. “This decision goes completely against the public interest. Administrator Banwarilal Purohit should intervene in the matter and get it repealed,” Chhabra had said.

In no other part of the country vehicles registered outside a particular area were charged double the parking fee, the AAP leader noted.