May revoke licences of hospitals found flouting parking norms: SDMC

The SDMC may revoke licences issued by it to hospital authorities in case they charge high fees from visitors for using parking facilities in its campus, officials said today.

SDMC's standing committee chairperson Shikha Rai said civic authorities would soon also conduct random inspections at various facilities to check compliance of the norms.

The civic body in late 2015 had banned paid parking at around 75 malls and hospitals falling in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation area following growing complaints of high fees being charged for use of these facilities.

Private parking operators at the hospitals and malls in the municipal area will now have to allow free parking or take prior permission of the SDMC for charging a fee, the rule had said.

"We issue them various licences, such as for running canteens and other facilities inside the hospital premises, as part of the overall building plan of the hospital. So, if they are found violating the norms for parking, their other licences may be revoked," Rai told reporters.

"The hospital authorities should be either not charge or charge users at municipal rate for using parking facilities," she said.

Meanwhile, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation today decided to write to cab-aggregator services, after getting reports that some customers were still being charged toll tax by them despite the SDMC asking not to till mid-September.

The SDMC had recently decided to suspend toll tax collection from commercial vehicles entering into Delhi from all border points for the period August 9-September 13, for carrying out civil work for RFID system.

However, during this period ECC (Environment Compassionate Charges) will continue to be collected from specified commercial vehicles.

Rai said RFID cards will be issued to the owners of the vehicle who will be charged regularly.

At the time of issuing the tag, we will collect all the details of the vehicle. This will help in separating vehicles that have to pay only toll tax and those that have to pay ECC.