Draft policy calls for tough measure to curb illegal parking

A new draft parking policy of the Delhi government has recommended tough measures to curb unauthorised parking in the city and giving enforcement powers to officials of local bodies and the public works department (PWD) for issuing challans to offenders.
The draft policy has been put up in the public domain for feedback, after which required modifications will be done before seeking approval of the chief minister and the lieutenant governor, said a senior government official.
At present, the Delhi Traffic Police is mandated to take action against unauthorised parking but in order to achieve the "desired" results, all stakeholders needed to act to deal with the problem, it said.

"In addition to traffic police, the enforcement powers for challaning and to realise fine will be delegated to officers of the local bodies and the PWD under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act," the draft policy suggests.
The three municipal corporations have enforcement staff but due to their multifarious duties, it is recommended that they should create a dedicated enforcement cell to regulate parking in their areas by exercising these powers, it recommended.
The policy noted that the wide enough roads in the city get constricted due to parking of vehicles, thereby affecting the flow of traffic.

The existing fine of Rs 100 under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act for obstructive parking is hardly a deterrent.

"In order to deal with the problem, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be requested for making necessary amendment in Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act and raise the fine to Rs 2,000."
It also recommends treating major arterial roads including Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, Aurobindo Marg, Mathura Road, Najafgarh Road, Rohtak Road and Vikas Marg as "no parking roads".