Sector 17 traders slam new MC parking charges

The traders of Sector 17 held a meeting with area councillor Pardeep Chhabra expressing resentment against the Municipal Corporation’s decision to levy parking charges on an hourly basis. They termed the decision as being arbitrary and against the interests of traders and consumers.

The traders rued that the decision was being thrust on them without keeping ground realities in mind. They stated that the decision comes at a time when they have been hit by recession and facing stiff competition from MNCs and big malls. They claimed that the order will impact trade and business activities besides contributing to declining public foot fall.

The decision to charge parking on an hourly basis is part of the civic body’s attempts to de-congest traffic. Traders,however,blamed the MC for contributing to the problem by failing to provide proper infrastructure,particularly the construction of multi-storey parking,a proposal which has been in the works for years now.