Intimate new parking policy by September 30: SC to Delhi Government

NEW DELHI: Supreme court has directed the Delhi Government to make sure that parking needs for the capital would be analysed for the coming 25 years and permissions for building infrastructure to solve one of the “most serious problems” faced by Delhi would be granted timely. SC also directed the government to intimate the draft rules of the Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, 2019, not later than September 30. The apex court also called for diligent imposition of the same as it shall be their duty to ensure the rules are “enforced in letter and spirit”.

The top court directed all civic bodies — the New Delhi Municipal Council, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board — to clear out encroachments from the pedestrian pathways in the residential areas of the city and make it suitable for its intended purpose.

The Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, 2019, envisages area parking plans and gives priority to pedestrians or cyclists followed by mass public transport, emergency vehicles and others.

“The persons who have encroached upon pavements shall be given notice of 15 days to remove the encroachment and in case they fail to do so the encroachment shall be removed by the authority concerned at the cost of the encroacher which shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue,” the court said.