On 1st April 2019, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had announced in its official website www.kmc.gov.in – the doubling of day parking fees for all classes of vehicles – bikes, cars, trucks. As a result, the car parking rate shot up from Rs 10 to Rs 20 per hour in Kolkata.

From 6th April onwards, there was a mass media criticism against the enormous hike. To counter the condemnation against the parking fee hike during the crucial period of elections, KMC reported that the announced rates were published by mistake without the approval of their senior officials!

Interestingly, the increase in revenue from car parking got approved at the last KMC budget passed on 15.2.19 and is evident from their budget extracts published online. As per the KMC Budget, the estimated revenue receipt from Car Parking for the year 2019-20 is Rs 2,055.50 lakh against Rs 1,522.66 lakh being their pre-audited actuals for 2018-19. Thus, the expected increase for the year 2019-20 is Rs 532.84 lakh – an increase of 35%! Therefore it is apparent that there is a plan to increase the revenue from car parking that would be made effective either by increasing the parking fees and / or by expanding the parking areas under KMC.

Interestingly, the new rates published on 1.4.19 by KMC have been suddenly withdrawn from their website on 13.4.19 and replaced by their old rates of Rs 10 per hour once again. The majority, however, predicts that it is a temporary withdrawal for the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections and may be made effective immediately after the polls. Thus, in apprehension of the new parking rates being made effective post-election, Team WHEELS voices the plights of city motorists and puts forward the rationalities as to why such a hike would be unsuitable for the city of Kolkata.

RATIONALITIES

1) Arbitrary hike
If the new rates are made effective, the jump would qualify for a 100% increase in the car parking fee – from Rs 10 to Rs 20 and will be a real blow to the car owners of Kolkata. As Dipanjan Ganguly, a veteran motorist comments, “A 20-25% increase in parking fee is acceptable, but doubling the rates from Rs 10 to Rs 20 would be a killer. Although there has been no increase in the parking fees in the recent past, the elapsed time doesn’t justify the enhancement of the parking fee to twice as much.”

Through a survey conducted by Kolkata on WHEELS, it is apparent that a figure which is twice the earlier rate would be unacceptable to the car owners of the city.

2) The stiff rate for subsequent hours
The new KMC rates that got published on 1.4.19 and were later withdrawn, showed an applicable flat rate of Rs 20 for cars extending on the subsequent hours too. Thus, on exceeding the first 60 minutes by just 1 minute, the parking fee would get doubled. For example, if one goes to a bazaar or an official meeting and returns after 61 minutes, he would have to pay Rs 40 under the new rates. Parking for shopping at malls, movies, and restaurants may exceed 2 hours which would attract a parking fee of Rs 60. Moreover, social meets and parties for more than 3 hours would be Rs 80 or more at the new flat rate of Rs 20 per 60 minutes. On the other hand, under the current parking rate structure, these would be just half the new apprehended rates.

3) Rates equivalent to private malls
The looming KMC parking fees if made effective could match the parking fees of some private shopping malls in Kolkata such as Lake Mall starting at Rs 20.

Whereas the private malls offer covered parking space and adequate security against the car parking fee, the KMC parking on open roads would continue to be left at the mercy of the parking attendants without any additional benefit.

4) Rates to exceed other metros
Kolkata’s impending car parking fee if rolled out at a flat rate of Rs 20 per hour will qualify to be the steepest among the Indian metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore. Let us consider the car parking fees applicable in other states.

DELHI

In the national capital region which has the highest number of vehicles in the country, the municipal bodies have recently revised their surface parking rates. As per the new rates in Delhi, four-wheeler car parking costs Rs 20 per hour with a maximum of Rs 100 per day, whereas the old rate has just been Rs 20 for the full day. Even in posh areas like Connaught Place, the parking fee is only Rs 20 per hour at present.

Until recently, the parking charges applicable to designated parking areas in Delhi were Rs 10 for up to 6 hours and Rs 20 for more than 6 hours. Civic agencies had also spent additional public money to construct several multi-level car parking lots inside the city to reduce on-street parking and churn out additional revenue without pocket-pinching the motorists.

MUMBAI
Comparing Mumbai to Kolkata would be unrealistic, but as evident from the car parking fee at the most congested areas in Mumbai that are run under BMC (government authorised parking lots), the current rates applicable are as follows:

 

Parking Rates at Nariman Point:
Up to 1 hr: Rs 20 (@ Rs 20 per hr)
1 to 3 hrs: Rs 25 (@ Rs 12.50 – Rs 8.33 per hr)
3 to 6 hours: Rs 35 (@ Rs 8.75 – Rs 5.83 per hr)
6 to 12 hrs: Rs 60 (@ Rs 8.57 – Rs 5 per hr)
Above 12 hrs: Rs 70 (@ Rs 5.38 per hr)