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Hyderabad: Parking policy paper tiger? Toothless roar, chaos rules | Hyderabad News
HYDERABAD: The city is bursting at its seams with burgeoning vehicles and shrinking parking space. But civic authorities have failed to wake up to the crisis, hammer out a comprehensive parking policy or clamp down on unauthorised parking. Though a revamped policy is on cards for several years now, it’s yet to be implemented on the ground.
Almost five years ago, municipal administration and urban development minister KT Rama Rao announced that various agencies – Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Road Transport Corporation (RTC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the police department – will work together to come up with a parking policy. However, the draft policy was made, but was not implemented strictly.
“Parking policy is the need of the hour as 700 vehicles are being added on city roads every day. It would be first implemented in densely-populated areas,” KTR said while announcing the move back in October 2017.
After several changes, the draft policy proposed to categorise parking into street parking, short-stay parking, residential parking, open space parking for heavy vehicles as well as parking in government offices, bus stands, metro and MMTS stations.
According to official sources, the parking policy stayed in limbo due to various legal hurdles. “For instance, the idea of utilising open plots as licensed parking lot clashes with section 24 of Telangana State Apartments Act 1987, which prohibits leasing or renting the space for commercial activity. Hence, the norm across various associated laws needs to be revised,” an official in GHMC told STOI. Officials also note that another reason for the delay is the need to conduct studies of the existing commercial areas and assess the parking requirement, which will be taken up soon.
The draft policy also sought to incorporate sops such as property tax exemption and additional built-up space for buildings providing additional parking floors as well as 100% property tax exemption for owners of open spaces, who provide parking options.
“The existing laws under Telangana State Building Rules 2012 already mandates that 44% of the commercial complex should be set aside for parking. This rule is being violated in many areas as the open spaces are later used to construct additional commercial shops or are leased out for food stalls. Policies hold worth only if they are implemented,” activist Raj Kumar Singh told STOI.
Almost five years ago, municipal administration and urban development minister KT Rama Rao announced that various agencies – Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Road Transport Corporation (RTC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the police department – will work together to come up with a parking policy. However, the draft policy was made, but was not implemented strictly.
“Parking policy is the need of the hour as 700 vehicles are being added on city roads every day. It would be first implemented in densely-populated areas,” KTR said while announcing the move back in October 2017.
After several changes, the draft policy proposed to categorise parking into street parking, short-stay parking, residential parking, open space parking for heavy vehicles as well as parking in government offices, bus stands, metro and MMTS stations.
According to official sources, the parking policy stayed in limbo due to various legal hurdles. “For instance, the idea of utilising open plots as licensed parking lot clashes with section 24 of Telangana State Apartments Act 1987, which prohibits leasing or renting the space for commercial activity. Hence, the norm across various associated laws needs to be revised,” an official in GHMC told STOI. Officials also note that another reason for the delay is the need to conduct studies of the existing commercial areas and assess the parking requirement, which will be taken up soon.
The draft policy also sought to incorporate sops such as property tax exemption and additional built-up space for buildings providing additional parking floors as well as 100% property tax exemption for owners of open spaces, who provide parking options.
“The existing laws under Telangana State Building Rules 2012 already mandates that 44% of the commercial complex should be set aside for parking. This rule is being violated in many areas as the open spaces are later used to construct additional commercial shops or are leased out for food stalls. Policies hold worth only if they are implemented,” activist Raj Kumar Singh told STOI.
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