Steep hike: Parking fee now costs more than any metro city in Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: With the revised parking fee implemented from yesterday in Bhubaneswar, vehicle owners are now getting charged more than any metro city at allotted parking lots in the city.

As per the revised parking rules by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), parking fee will be collected under four specific slabs from vehicle owners at nine parking lots.

With the implementation of the new rule, the two wheeler owners are now being paid Rs 5 for upto 0-2 hours, Rs 15 for 2-3 hours, Rs 25 for 3-4 hours and Rs 35 for 4-5 hours for parking their vehicles.

Similarly, for auto-rickshaw, four wheeler (light) and four wheeler (heavy) vehicles, the parking charges are Rs 5, Rs 20 and Rs 25 for parking for 2 hours, Rs 20, Rs 40 and Rs 50 for 2-3 hours, Rs 35, Rs 60 and Rs 75 for 3-4 hours and Rs 50, Rs 80 and Rs 100 for 4-5 hours respectively.

Also Read: Transgenders Roped In To Collect Parking Fees In Bhubaneswar

Meanwhile, the parking charges are 20 per cent extra for parking vehicles for more than five hours. However, there is no parking charge for bicycles. the BMC made it clear that electric vehicles will be given 40% discount on fee for parking under its jurisdiction.

However, the revised parking charges triggered sharp reactions among the commuters.

“Soon after the Government unlocked everything during COVID-19 pandemic, the BMC is exploiting the commuters on pretext of parking fee collection by revising the charges. While the civic body has failed to provide a systematic parking facility in the city, it suddenly hiked the parking fee,” said a commuter.

As per the BMC’s revised parking rules, the parking fee will be more costlier for small businessmen running shops at roadside.

“A betel shop owner will have to pay minimum Rs 500 per month towards for parking light-weight two-wheeler vehicle at a parking lot. In such a case, how long the roadside vendors can run their business in the city,” said a local vendor.

On implementation of the new parking charges, the BMC authorities said that the parking fee has been revised to encourage the local transport system in the city.

“The parking policy has been made to ensure that the commuters to use local transport instead of travelling by their own vehicles in the city. There are limited parking zones under BMC for which commuters are parking their vehicles on road for hours. It causes heavy traffic congestion. If the vehicle owners will be charged more towards parking fee, they will think before going outside by domestic vehicles. As the metro cities have more parking areas, accordingly the parking charges are less there,” an official in the BMC said.