Parking fees at malls under HC scanner

New Delhi, Oct. 30: The issue of malls, hospitals and commercial establishments in South Delhi charging parking fees from the public on Monday came under the scanner of the Delhi high court which sought the local authority’s stand on it.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar issued a notice to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and sought its response to a PIL which alleged that charging of parking fees by these establishments was in violation of the civic body’s notification.

The petition by a city resident claimed that the SDMC in 2015 and the Delhi police in 2016 had prohibited charging of fees from the general public for parking their vehicles in malls, hospitals or office complexes.

However, these establishments were levying the fees under the garb of maintenance charges, the PIL alleged and added that

The SDMC and the Delhi police had prohibited charging of fees from the general public for parking their vehicles in malls, hospitals or office complexes

the corporation was not taking action against such entities. It sought directions to the SDMC to take appropriate legal steps against persons responsible for charging the parking fees from the general public.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 19.