New Delhi, December 22: Based on the recommendations of three municipal bodies in the national capital, the State Transport Department has hiked one-time parking charges by upto 18 per cent, pushing the on-road car prices in Delhi by Rs 6,000 to Rs 75,000. The fresh one-time parking rates will come into effect from January 1, 2019.

The transport department collects the parking charges on behalf of the MCDs, which claim that it is meant for creating parking infrastructure in Delhi. The proposal by the three MCDs to hike the charges was pending for quite sometime and was cleared by the transport commissioner on her last day in office, an official said. New Colour-Coded Fuel Stickers, High-Security Registration Plates Mandatory on All Cars Sold From April 2019: Govt.

The order has angered bus and taxi operators as the annual parking fee for different categories of commercial vehicles will rise from the existing Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000-Rs 25,000.

According to the order, based on the cost of a vehicle, the one-time parking charge for private cars and SUVs will range between Rs 6,000 and Rs 75,000 -- 18 times the existing rate of Rs 4,000.

The process of charging the money during vehicle registration is prescribed through a notification of Union Urban Affairs Ministry not by the transport department, Joshi, who has taken charge as North Delhi Municipal Corporation's commissioner, said.

The transport department only acts like the post office in the process, she said. The parking charges mechanism will be replaced by spot parking fees after new parking regulations are notified by the Delhi government, she said.

"Till then this mechanism will be applicable. So we followed an urban affairs ministry notification and issued these orders," she added.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, however, denied having any information about the hike. "I am not aware of any such decision," he claimed.

Displeased by the government order, transporters in the city threatened to stage a protest against the hike. "We will meet the chief minister and the transport minister on Monday against the hike because it will impact us negatively. If need be, we will resort to a strike also," said Shyam Lal Gola, spokesperson of State Transport Authority Operators Ekta Manch.

"It's a very bad move that will pose hardships for all, including the commuters, president of Delhi Tourist Taxi Transport Association Sanjay Samrat said. "We will protest against the Delhi government," he added.

He further said that they will meet the Lt Governor to appeal for a rollback of the hike.

The hike, which will boost finances of the civic bodies, may hit the transport department as it is likely that the sale of vehicles may shift to the neighbouring states because there will be a huge variation of rates in Delhi and other parts of the country, an official claimed.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 22, 2018 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).