Parking fee back at New Delhi railway station
What's the story
The Northern Railways has resumed charging parking fees for both commercial and private vehicles at the New Delhi railway station from the last couple of weeks. The move was aimed at easing congestion in parking lanes caused by the "unauthorized" parking. Notably, the railways have introduced an access-controlled parking system in March. However, the implementation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Why does it matter?
The New Delhi railway station is among India's busiest stations with a daily footfall of 5.20 lakh passengers. The updated fee structure and the 30-minute time cap are expected to majorly impact the routines of travelers. Further, the introduction of an access-controlled parking system is expected to reduce the time of entry and exit of passengers.
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Move to restrict unauthorized parking: Minister
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the move aims to manage "the movement of traffic" and restrict "unauthorized parking of vehicles." "Entry fee (pick-up and drop) charges are levied per vehicle at New Delhi Railway Station," he added.
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How much will the parking fee be?
There would be no parking charge for the first eight minutes for private vehicles, Vaishnaw said. However, a commercial vehicle will have to pay Rs. 30 for the same. For 8-15 minutes, both private and commercial vehicles will have to pay Rs. 50. For 15-30 minutes, both commercial and private vehicles will have to pay Rs. 200.
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Pick-up/drop not allowed after 30 minutes
No pick-up or drop facilities would be allowed beyond 30 minutes at the railway station's parking lot, Vaishnaw further said in his reply. "If a passenger wants to wait beyond 30 minutes, then they can park the vehicles in the demarcated area for parking for which parking rates are fixed," the minister added.