Delhi government gets notice over Sarojini Nagar parking

New Delhi, Aug 26: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the city government, NDMC and the police commissioner on a PIL seeking a ban on an allegedly unauthorised parking racket at Sarojini Nagar market.

The plea alleges that the racket is being run by parking mafia in connivance with local authorities at the market.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi government, traffic police, Delhi police commissioner and the SHO of Sarojini Nagar to file their response by November 4.

Chander Bhushan, a resident of Sarojini Nagar, in his plea said the unauthorised parking racket is being run by parking mafia in connivance with local police, traffic police and DLF Ltd., the contractor and municipal corporation officials.

Advocate Arvind Singh and Leena Soni told the bench that the NDMC has given all the four parking sites of Sarojini Nagar market on lease to the DLF company out of which the parking site of Sabzi Mandi market is having authorised parking space only for 248 vehicles.

All the four parking sites of Sarojini Nagar market are managed on lease by DLF Ltd. which has been so authorised by NDMC and it is managing the parking through some private contractors, which is not only against the terms and conditions of the NDMC but also illegal.

"Unauthorized parking racket is not only being run by persons who are having criminal records, in connivance with local police, traffic police and NDMC officials of Sarojini Nagar market but are also causing inconvenience to general public by illegally overcharging the parking amount, noise pollution specifically causing disturbance to three adjacent schools and public library and traffic jam in the Sarojini Nagar area," the plea said.

The plea also said that malafide practice is being carried not only in Sarojini Nagar market but in other areas spread all over Delhi and elsewhere in India.

It said strict rules and regulations are required to be made in this regard so that the public would get maximum benefit of the parking facility instead of facing problems like the present case of Sarojini Nagar.

IANS