Delhi’s poor air quality may trigger hike in parking fee over Diwali weekend

New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality, which has entered the red zone, may trigger an increase in the parking fee for vehicles by up to four times over the Diwali weekend.

The measure, if required, will be enforced under the graded response action plan, under which a series of measures will be taken based on the severity of air pollution during the winter months. Measures under the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories of the plan came into force Tuesday, under which the Badarpur thermal power plant has been closed and diesel generator sets have been banned in Delhi among other actions.

Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain announced the decision following a review meeting in New Delhi. Narain said parking fee may have to be hiked in Delhi, despite the fact that a parking policy is still being worked out, if air pollution aggravates further and in case it touches alarming proportions “cars will have to be off the roads”.