Steep hike in parking rates in Kolkata, app-based system implemented

Starting from today, motorists and two-wheeler riders will be charged higher rates for parking their vehicles in Kolkata, as the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) implements its plan for a graded fee structure. The new fee structure has been integrated into the app-based, cashless parking system, and all private agencies running the city's parking lots have been informed of the change, said a KMC car parking department official.

The new structure will see a significant increase in parking rates compared to previous rates. The parking fee for two-wheelers has been uniform, at Rs 5 per hour, with no provision for hike by the hours. For cars, it has been Rs 10 per hour. Under the new proposal, the initial parking rate for the first two hours has been raised to Rs 10 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 20 per hour for four-wheelers. From the third to the fifth hour, the rate will increase four-fold to Rs 20 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 40 per hour for cars. Beyond five hours, the fee will increase ten-fold to Rs 50 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 100 per hour for cars.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said on Friday that the civic body is committed to bringing transparency to the parking system and implementing an app-based, cashless transaction system at parking lots across the city. The KMC car parking department organized a workshop at Uttam Mancha on Friday to train parking attendants in how to operate the app-based parking system.

According to a civic official, over 500 attendants from across the city participated in the workshop and received training on how to operate the POS machines. However, some parking attendants may continue to demand cash from motorists for a while, despite the training, said a KMC car parking department official. The KMC has asked parking agencies to implement the app-based system at the earliest and warned that action will be taken against those who do not comply.