NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has urged the urban local bodies in the Delhi-NCR to form a ward-wise parking area management plan. The environmental body has also asked to rationalise and increase parking fees to discourage private vehicles by August 30.
Commission said that though the apex court has directed to frame a comprehensive parking policy in 2020, nothing has come to fruition as of yet.
Vehicular emission is one of the primary causes of air pollution in the national capital and adjoining areas. A 2018 study revealed that PM2.5 pollutants contribute 39 per cent of air pollution in Delhi and 13 per cent in the NCR region.
In its advisory, the commission reminded that the Supreme Court, on August 10, 2020, directed the urban local bodies and other concerned authorities in the Delhi-NCR to prepare a comprehensive parking management plan for the region. The court also noted that the vehicular sector’s contribution is significantly high in the Delhi-NCR in a series of hearings held in the winter of 2023-24.
The commission said, “During the review meetings chaired by the cabinet secretary on Jan 17, it was recommended rational parking charges, congestion or peak hour charges may be considered for disincentivising use of private vehicles. However, in another meeting held on April 10, it was observed that the rationalisation of congestion and parking charges for private vehicles is yet to be taken up by the urban local bodies in Delhi and NCR.”