[NaXal]

Shouldn't they make it free for anyone who shows a mall bill/spending of certain amount?

Mall parking isn't government property where as municipality or respective state authorities fight hard for their right to charge public on genuine public property in their jurisdiction.

Strange rules I wonder.

[PrasunBannerjee]

What probably can be done, charge the user parking amount, issue a token/receipt. Upon showing the token in any outlet while paying bill in the mall, adjust that amount.

A small single screen theatre in middle of my city used to do this way, to avoid misuse of parking space as it was in mid of old city where traffic congestion was an issue. It will create a little hassle for all POS systems within the mall in the beginning, but it's smart, and once a process is in place, not going to be misused.

[amitk26]

Why not open the huge sprawling court campuses and banglows of judges for public parking to start with ?

[Who_are_you]

This absurd rule, I am ready to pay parking fees for security and peace of mind provided by paid parking. Soon, other states will also follow the suit.

Recently Pune Municipal Corporation’s city improvement committee ordered malls to not charge parking fees.

Related news:

https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pu...w/70063930.cms

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/69806839.cms

[gargashwin06]

This happened in Pune as well for like a week. But it ended up with no parking space in most of the malls especially the one close to offices since everyone wanted free parking and office parking is paid in and around magarpatta area.
I feel they should implement the concept like in Hyderabad where you get free parking if you make some purchase from the mall.

[GeeTee TSI]

Could this be aimed at discouraging parking on the roads overnight, since most malls either do not allow or charge a hefty fee? I feel malls can also monetise this additional footfall into sales.

[SJM1214]

All malls which used to have free parking facility started using "Parking full" boards during pick hours. So, ultimately we end up parking our cars on-road or nearby street. Instead of parking my car on road or streets, I prefer to pay x amount for an underground ( or guarded ) parking space. Due to this, We started taking our two-wheeler( Activa or RE) for Sunday evening shopping or movies in malls.

AMC(Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) charges money to park the vehicle on some of the roads in Ahmedabad ( for example CG road), wherein there are proper parking spaces. And now, Gujarat HC asking private operators to stop charging parking fees. This is absurd.

[McLaren Rulez]

Not sure what the legal basis for such a decision is. How is the fact that the carpark is attached to a mall any different from any other private carpark where you pay to park?

It's insane how many of these asinine decisions from the government and judiciary we read about every day while the real issues in the country are heartily ignored!

[sreddyhere]

The initiative by GHMC was successful in Hyderabad since April 2018. There will be a time limit of 30 minutes free parking. After that, one has to produce shopping invoice or movie ticket greater than the parking charges.If no invoice, the normal parking fee will be levied.

IMO, it is a win-win situation for both the customer and the mall.

[dicor]

At the core India still is a communist country. The same rule has been passed by PMC (Pune Municipal Corporation) too. A corporator brought this proposal and it was supported by everyone. It’s a hot topic over local whats-app groups and people are celebrating this decision.

Ironically PMC / Railway / Airport / Govt offices are collecting parking charges (for parking roadside with no safety) across the city, but they do not want malls to charge for it.

If parking is free, I can vouch that lot of people who work in surrounding premises will start misusing the facility, it would be permanent park for several junk cars, a rest area for cabbies.

Now lot of people prefer to come via bike because of high rent for parking. If it’s free everyone will start coming via car and there will be long queue to park.

If malls are providing concrete floor to keep us off muck, roof to save from heat, CCTV for Safety, I think we should happily pay for it. At the best; the parking fees can be reimbursed at any store inside which stores can claim back from mall.

I am in strictly favour of malls charging fare rent for parking for the greater good of citizens.

[Unavowed_X9]

Everything comes at a price. And real estate including its maintenance for a reason does too! The courts need to realise that too much prodding without applying practical reasoning & logic (which they are now prone to of late), will only make matters ridiculous!

[Malyaj]

I don't know why such cases are even entertained by the already overburdened judiciary. I think certain judges get some sort of pleasure in thinking that they have acted as a messiah in rescuing the tormented public from the clutches of rent seeking capitalists.

The case may have been judged based on some technicality, but unless that technicality allowed the developer concessions from the state and helped it save bucket loads of money at the cost of the exchequer, I don't see why such matters require judicial intervention at all.

There are enough people in this world with loads of time on their hands and will pursue such objectives. How a privately owned commercial space, where people come by their own choice should be regulated like this on a matter of parking fee is beyond me.

[ajayclicks]

Originally Posted by Unavowed_X9

The courts need to realise that too much prodding without applying practical reasoning & logic (which they are now prone to of late), will only make matters ridiculous!

Originally Posted by dicor

At the core India still is a communist country. T

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Not sure what the legal basis for such a decision is.

Unless I am mistaken, malls and even hospitals show free parking lots in their plans and get extra FSI in compensation. They charging for parking inspite of getting extra FSI is akin to a marriage hall converting its basement parking to a food/dining hall or a small commercial complex building shops in the basement area.

[JBIBS]

Apologies upfront. But I don't really find much rationale behind most of the negative comments on this wavier.

In fact it isn't a wavier either. Rules on large commercial establishments since 70's clearly state that the complexes can not levi parking fee on customers. It is the establishments who have been in total violation of the law for ages. It is just that a few brave customers (an advocate in Hyderabad to start with) started filling cases and authorities woke up. Kudos and Better late than never !

I see the negative comments as speculations on what could go wrong. I stay in Hyderabad and visit malls regularly. I can safely say that I haven't observed most of these speculations coming true since law has been enforced. Rather, life is easier. To the advantage of Malls, my family spends more time, only to spend more.

In the interest of awareness, below is some extract from an old TOI report in Telengana -

"Commercial complex owners have no authority under the act to impose and collect fees from the public. According to rule 12 of the Multi-Storeyed Building Rules 1981 and zoning regulation of GO number 423, it is mandatory for owners of commercial complexes to provide regular parking facility to visitors at free of cost. These complexes shall use them as commercial ventures and make money out of them,"

A valid question from another consumer -

" How will I, as a consumer, know how much to pay and how much is too much? Who decides the 'prescribed fee' which may be collected? Any private place which does not have 44% of built-up area left for parking, cannot take money as they are already in violation of the law,"

[RajeevSharma]

D-Mart is a popular retail outlet in India. What would happen if they started charging money from customers for parking their cars?

Same thing applies to Shopping malls as they are also commercial establishments. There should be no parking charge by design but it is easy to fleece unsuspecting customer of Rs 50 and the practise goes on.