KOCHI: To the huge relief of passengers, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has reduced the parking rates at its stations. The reduced rates will be effective from Wednesday. The rate for the first two hours has been reduced from `30 to `25 for car parking and from `15 to `10 for two-wheelers. For every extra hour, `10 will be charged for car parking and `5 for two-wheeler. The KMRL has also introduced daily parking passes at all the stations, except at Aluva and Edappally, at the rate of `40 for two-wheelers and `80 for cars. For Kochi1 card holders, the daily pass for cars will be `64, and for two-wheelers will be `32. Sundays and holidays will have a different tariff.
Kochi1 card holders can avail the car parking facility at `20 for the first two hours and `8 for every extra hour. For two-wheelers the parking is charged at a discounted rate of `8 for the first two hours and `4 for every additional hour. “The reduction in the parking rates will be beneficial to the passengers and also helps in controlling the haphazard parking patterns seen in the main thoroughfare,” said KMRL managing director Mohammed Hanish.
The parking capacity of KMRL stations is as follows; Edappally: 83 cars and 155 two-wheelers, Aluva: 71 cars and 90 two-wheelers, Cusat: 48 cars and 81 two-wheelers, Palarivattom: 16 cars and 40 two-wheelers and Kaloor: 75 cars and 100 two-wheelers.As per the earlier fee structure, the car parking fare for 24-hour parking for ordinary users was `250 and `200 for Kochi1 card holders, while it was `100 and `80 respectively, for two-wheelers. The high rates for parking were slated as one of the major reasons for people hesitating to use the Kochi Metro.
Following the complaints, the KMRL assigned an officer to study the possibilities of giving a discount to vehicle owners. “Based on the report, the KMRL officers concluded they will not be able to reduce the congestion on roads if people continue to use their own vehicles. The very idea of Kochi Metro is to woo more people to the public transportation system and reduce the number of vehicles on roads, thereby reducing environmental pollution,” a KMRL officer said.