South Corpn not to hike parking rates

Plays safe in election year, joins other two MCDs in rejecting proposal in budget

With elections for Delhi Assembly scheduled later this year, the ruling BJP in South Corporation has decided not to increase parking charges.

Passing the budgetary proposals for the financial year 2013-14 on Friday, leader of House Subhash Arya said the civic body will not burden the people by increasing parking charges.

With this decision, all the three corporations have now spared the city residents from hike in parking charges.

The commissioners of all the three corporations had proposed a steep hike in charges. While proposals were rejected by both North and East corporations at the standing committee level itself, the South Corporation’s standing committee of had cleared the proposal stating ‘it would encourage more people to use public transport’.

Subhash Arya, while presenting budget speech in the House said that measures will be taken to improve the functioning of parking facilities.

“We will increase our revenue with the new parking policy instead of increasing the charges,” he said.    

Earlier, the corporation’s standing committee had proposed a steep hike in parking charges. While the current parking fee for cars is Rs 10 for 10 hours, the proposed hike was Rs 20 for the first three hours and Rs 10 for each subsequent hour for A and B category of four-wheel vehicles.

For two wheelers, the proposed rate was Rs 10 for the first three hours and Rs 5 for each additional hour thereafter. Currently, the bikes are charged Rs 5 for 10 hours.

The BJP Delhi unit high command decided not to increase parking charge or any other taxes. The decision is in sync with the promise made by the party in its manifesto for municipal polls last year.

In December, Delhi BJP president Vijendra Gupta had convened a meeting of all the three Mayors and senior leaders of corporation and decided against increase in tax and parking charges.  

Call centre

The South Corporation will launch a centralised call centre to make it easier for the residents to register complaints and seek information about the civic body’s functioning.

The officers said the call centre representatives will answer queries about the services provided by the corporation, register their complaints and forward them to officers concerned. The call centre staff will have to update the complainant about the action taken over their complaint.

Subhash Arya said anyone can call the toll free number and seek information related to the functioning of the corporation. “Details about services provided by the civic body like issuing birth and death certificate, house tax, sanctioning of building plan, layout plan and information about officers of the corporation’s different departments will be available with the call centre,” he said.

The proposal for the call centre was also passed the House on Friday. The corporation has allocated Rs 2 crore for the purpose.

Pilot project for toilets

The South Corporation has also decided to launch a pilot project to maintain cleanliness in public urinals and toilet complexes which do not have regular water supply.

“On a pilot basis, a three-wheeler carrying a portable water tank will be pressed into service to clean toilets and urinals. The sanitations workers will carry a kit with material required for cleaning,” said Subhash Arya.
DH News Service

Councillors seek salary

The South Corporation councillors have demanded a monthly salary and other allowances. A proposal to this effect was passed by them in the House meeting, along with the budget proposals for the next fiscal, reports DHNS.

As per the proposal, which would be sent to the Union ministry of home affairs, the corporation has recommended a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 per month and Rs 16,000 as other allowances for computer, office maintenance and stationaries.

They have also demanded that allowance for attending a standing committee or a House meeting be increasded from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000. If accepted, each councillor will get a total of Rs 26,000 per month, apart from this allowance. Leader of the House Subhash Arya also sought a chauffeur driven car for all the chairmans of the committees.

“All chairmans of ward committee, statutory committee, ad hoc committee and special committees be given a car with a driver. The chairman should also get allowance for petrol,” said Arya.