MM : Corporators now want free parking : Sept 5, 2007

Corporators now want free parking
For the rest of us, they want to hike rates in BMC-run car parks
PANDURANG MHASKE

    Some city corporators have a new demand - free parking in the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) pay and park lots. The new demand
comes close on the heels of the demand for salary hike and free first-class
train passes.

    The BMC administration had earlier asked to hike the parking rates at
BMC-run parking lots. In that resolution, the then corporator and BMC leader
Parag Alvani demanded that an amendment should be passed that will allow
free parking for BMC corporators. The amendment was passed and the
resolution has now come up in the general body meeting for discussion.

    BMC had argued that pay and park lots reduce traffic on congested roads.
If the charges are hiked, it would dissuade people from taking their
vehicles into business districts and would result in low traffic. Hence BMC
proposed a 20 to 30 per cent hike in the current parking rate.

    But Congress corporator from Colaba, Vinod Shekhar, has strongly opposed
free parking. "Corporators should serve people, not make facilities for
themselves," he says.

    In contrast, BJP corporator Ashish Shelar says, "As a corporator, I am
paying for parking my car. If BMC allows free parking to all corporators, it
is a good move."

    Congress deputy leader Amin Patel agrees with Shekhar. "It not fair for
corporators to demand free parking," he says, "Congress will oppose this
proposal in the BMC. We neither want to hike the parking rates, nor want
free parking for corporators."

The new demand comes close on the heels of the demand for salary hike and
free first-class train passes

Publication:Mumbai Mirror ; Date:Sep 5, 2007; Section:City; Page Number:3

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