MCD Parking Charges In Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is planning to double its parking charges in a bid to discourage the use of private vehicles and curb air pollution caused by vehicular emissions, officials said on Monday. A proposal for this will be tabled at the upcoming MCD House meeting scheduled for November 14, the same day as the elections for Delhi’s next mayor and deputy mayor.

The idea of raising parking charges under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-II has been on the agenda for a while but has been repeatedly referred back to the House for reconsideration. Initially, the MCD had proposed increasing the charges fourfold, but following deliberations, a revised proposal to raise the fees by just two times has now been prepared, officials said. However, the official did not specify the reason for reducing the proposed hike.

“In the upcoming House meeting, we will seek approval for increasing the parking charges. After extensive deliberations, the MCD has revised its proposal to double parking charges instead of the initially planned fourfold increase. Once this proposal is passed, it will be implemented as soon as possible,” the official said.

While other agencies, including the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), have already implemented the fee increase under CAQM’s directions, the MCD has yet to enforce the hike.

In October, NDMC doubled its parking charges complying with directives to curb air pollution.

The MCD is waiting for the proposal’s clearance from the House before it can be implemented. If disruptions occur during the House session, as is often the case during elections, the proposal may face further delays.

As part of the Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle pollution, additional restrictions are imposed, such as bans on the use of coal and firewood in restaurants and the use of diesel generators, except for essential services.

Parking charges are also enhanced to encourage people to switch to public transport, which would help reduce overall pollution levels.

Delhi’s air pollution has grabbed global headlines. Every year Delh’s air turns poisonous making it difficult for natives to reside in the national capital.
Residents from Anand Vihar, one of the most polluted areas currently, have serious health complaints. The air quality index (AQI) here is consistently in the ‘severe’ category. On Friday, the overall AQI of the national capital was 389 at 8.30 am, while Anand Vihar’s AQI stood at 419, making it the hub of the worst air pollution.
“My eyes are constantly irritated and often turn red, leading to blurred vision. It makes it really difficult to drive safely,” Zaved Ali, an auto-rickshaw driver at the Anand Nagar bus stand told PTI.
“My child has been suffering from stomach issues that sometimes get better but often get worse. I’ve consulted so many doctors, but the medicines don’t seem to make a difference,” Supriya Yadav, a mother of two, told the media, adding about the deteriorating water quality in the area.

For 70 year old Nirmal Singh, breathing difficulties have worsened his health. He is a heart patients. “I’ve lived here all my life, but the pollution has gotten so much worse in the last decade. The air is thick, and even in the early morning or late evening, it’s hard to breathe properly,” Singh said.

15-20 per cent increase in patients with worsening respiratory problems: AIIMS

Due to the worsening of air quality, the OPD of the Pulmonology Department in New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is witnessing an increase in patients with respiratory problems.

“We are seeing that patients are having a lot of problems. Patients who have respiratory diseases like asthma, and COPD patients. We are seeing a lot more patients in the OPD now. Many patients have complained their asthma is getting worse,” Dr Karan Madan, Associate Professor Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) told ANI.
“And many of our patients have come with severe exacerbation, what we call a severe worsening of symptoms. And many patients have required admission also. So I think it is a tough time for our patients who have respiratory problems…,” he added. “We have seen approximately a 15 to 20 per cent increase in the number of patients who have come with worsening respiratory problems, patients who have pre-existing asthma, we are seeing a lot more patients with asthma exacerbation…Patients who have respiratory problems must avoid exposure to outdoor activity,” he told the media.
(With inputs from agencies)