BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Wednesday asked all commercial and residential establishments in the city to stop charging parking fee on their premises with immediate effect.
In an order issued to this effect, the development authority stated that collection of parking fee at shopping malls, hospitals, multiplexes and apartments is not consistent with provisions of the BDA (Planning & Building Standards) Regulations, 2018. “The developers/owners are hereby directed to stop the illegal practice of charging parking fee from visitors immediately,” it said.
BDA, in its order, also pointed out that in certain cases, parking area shown in the approved building plan is being used for purposes other than parking vehicles.
“Such misuse of parking is results in on-street parking which adversely affects traffic movement. The BDA (P&BS) Regulations, 2018 prescribes that mandatory off-street parking shall be provided in commercial buildings,” it said.
Officials said sub-regulation (7) of regulation 37 of the BDA (P&BS) Regulations prescribes that misuse of parking spaces will result in removal or demolition of the space by the Authority.
“Property owners, therefore, will have to abide by mandatory off-street parking provisions in the approved building plan and any deviation from parking guidelines shall be restored by owners as per the approved building plan within 30 days from the date of issue of this notice,” they said.
BDA planning member Gouri Shankar Bhuyan said establishments such as commercial buildings, shopping malls, multiplexes, hospitals, apartments and other housing projects must provide mandatory off-street parking as per the provisions of BDA as their parking areas are exempted from Floor Area Ratio (FAR) calculation.
“Notices have been issued to all property owners and developers to stop this illegal practice immediately. Those who don’t comply with it will face strict action as per the existing Odisha Development Authority Act,” he said.