Chandigarh: In a relief to city residents, the General House of the Municipal Corporation has deferred the proposal for a hike in the parking charges. It has decided to continue charging the existing rates — Rs 5 for two-wheelers and Rs 10 for four-wheelers — till the final decision is taken at the next meeting of the House. The decision was taken at a special meeting of the House held to discuss the terms and conditions of the parking lots in the city.
A panel, headed by Arun Sood, presented its recommendations in the House. While the panel suggested three options for the rates to be charged in the new tender, a majority of the members opposed it, saying that there was no need to hike the rates.
Deputy Mayor Kanwar Rana and Devinder Singh Babla, Congress councillor, boycotted the House. While Rana opposed the “attitude of offices” in pressuring councillors to take a decision, Babla alleged that the BJP leadership backtracked on its promise of not enhancing the parking rates. Babla said BJP leaders, including the MP, had promised not to enhance the rates before the elections, but they were now dilly-dallying on the decision.
When Davesh Moudgil, BJP councillor, opposed any proposal for a hike in the rates, a majority of the BJP councillors supported his suggestion for keeping the existing rates in the new tender.