Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) has opposed the civic body 's policy to charge for roadside parking and alleged the move is to benefit specific contractors. Civic activists have applauded the initiative, on the other hand. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) does not charge for parking within its limits.
It had drafted a parking policy in 2016 and approved it in 2018, wherein pay and park was one of the key features aimed to decongest the city roads. Though NCP (SCP) said the initiative would only favour some contractors, civic activists supported the idea of parking charges. They claimed that steps to promote public transport were required and parking charges would deter use of personal vehicles.
In 2016, the civic traffic department had identified 38 roads, which were categorised based on use — commercial, residential and semi-commercial. In 2018, the initiative could not be implemented due to absence of political will, said activists. A majority of elected members had opposed the introduction of parking fee along roads.
A committee of elected members and civic officials was formed to finalise the policy in 2018-19. A decision to implement it on five roads was taken, but the committee did not decide which ones and actual implementation did not happen. Now, NCP leaders said PMC was introducing a different policy and would charge heavily for parking.
They said some civic officials, in association with leaders of ruling parties, were trying to implement the new policy wi.
