As the action against illegal parking in the vicinity of the public parking lots continue, residents demand concession in the parking charges inside the lots.Though the business professionals can afford the charges in the parking lots, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should consider parking passes at a discounted rate for locals, say corporators. The BMC has continued its action against the vehicles illegally parked in the vicinity of 500 metres of 26 Public Parking Lots. Six of them are in the Parel area and three more are in the pipeline. But even if all the parking lots become available, it will not solve the parking issue, warn corporators. “There are three parking lots in our area with collectively more than 2,000 parking spaces. The lots are empty and residents park their vehicles on the roads because the charges are high and locals cannot afford it,” said Samadhan Sarvankar, corporator from Prabhadevi. He suggested The charges are Rs 80 for four-wheelers and Rs 35 for two-wheelers. Maybe these charges are all right with the corporate professionals but locals who don’t have parking space in their buildings need concessional rates. The civic body should allow free parking for the residents in the 500-metre periphery. Locals need parking in the night also. If BMC will not provide it the vehicles will remain on the roads only. “The charges are high and there are so many parking lots in the area that the contractors are not coming forward to collect and maintain parking lots. If BMC plan as per the requirement of the public it will be beneficial for both,” said Santosh Kharat, corporator from Worli. Nationalist Congress Party Mumbai president Sachin Ahir with residents of parel is going to protest against BMC’s hefty parking charges at G south ward office on Thursday. The rule of parking in the vicinity of the parking lot should not be applicable to locals and the parking rules have to change, he said in a public meeting. “Residents are using the public parking lot in Sewri as it is free as of now. The road needs to be free of parking but the civic body should have to provide more parking space with fewer charges,” said Dattaram Pongade, from Sewree.

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