Most of the parking lots in KMC are unlicensed and do not share revenue with the local municipality either in the form of tax or rent.[break]
After waking up to the proliferation of illegal parking lots in KMC, which not only hampers revenue but is also behind traffic mismanagement in the city, the KMC office on October 25 announced the names of the authorised parking lots, with the help of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD).
The authorised parking lots include Piukha New Road, Shukrapath, New Road Stupa, Dharahara-Sundhara, Khichhapokhari (in-front of Everest Bank), Pako Pipalbot, Dharmapath, Pako Photo Concern to Ranmuteswhor, inside RB complex, Durbarmarg, New Baneshwor Chowk-1, Shankar Dev Campus, Kamaladi Khanepani, Naxal Balmandir, in-front of Tribhuwan International Gate (TIO) and Khulla Manch, among others.
Along with announcing the names of the parking areas, the KMC office has also requested people not to park their vehicles in illegal parking lots. Parking fees should be paid to the 20 licensed parking lots only, it says.
“We are compelled to designate the places for parking in the city as unlicensed parking lots are increasing day by day,” said Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of Implementation Department at the KMC office. “Though we tried out different things, we were not successful in closing them. But this time we are not going to spare anyone.”
According to Sapkota, KMC will give permission for running parking lots to those who maintain the rules and regulations set by the KMC office.
Under the Local Self-governance Act 2055, permission from the municipality concerned is mandatory for running a parking lot. KMC office had conducted a study on illegal parking areas in the city and formulated some plans, including introduction of a dress code for parking lot attendants, road markings and time cards. However, the plans remain unimplemented.
“While carrying out monitoring work we will also check whether the rules (on dress code, time cards, etc) are maintained or not,” said Sapkota, adding,“We will fine those running illegal parking lots in the city and take other strong action against them.”
According to chief of MTPD, DIG Keshav Prasad Adhikari, most of the illegal parking lots are operated by criminal dons and should be clamped down on.
“They have no right to operate such unlicensed parking lots. They are only exploiting innocent people,” said Adhikari.
In a bid to tackle the illegal parking lots, the KMC office and officials of MTPD carried out monitoring on Tuesday. They won´t stop their monitoring work until the unlicensed parking lots are closed for good.
With 23.62 percent of the total population using motorbikes and another 4.03 percent using private cars, according to the census 2011, parking is a huge problem in the Valley.
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