GVMC to levy heavy penalty on establishments charging parking fee in Vizag

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is all set to tighten the noose on commercial establishments by levying a penalty on those charging parking fee in Vizag. As reported earlier, the city’s municipal body recently issued orders to scrap the collection of parking fee at private establishments. As per the orders, citizens will not be charged any fee for a parking duration of less than half an hour. A parking duration of up to 60 minutes will attract no amount either given the vehicle owners make any purchase at the establishment. In the case where the vehicle is parked for over an hour, no fee will be charged if the purchase made is valued above the parking fee.

With the orders coming into effect from Monday (24 February), the GVMC has announced that hefty penalties will be levied on establishments that are found guilty of not following the norms. In a press note, the GVMC Commissioner stated, “As per the said order, every commercial establishment shall submit the details of parking area they have and the rates being followed for parking. They shall also exhibit the same in the premises and the copy shall be submitted to the respective Zonal Commissioner within 7 days from the date of issuing the orders.”

The note further added that the concerned Zonal Commissioner and Assistant City Planner are authorised to visit the premises and verify the implementation of the parking policy in the commercial establishments and impose a penalty if any deviations are observed. The traffic police department will also be intimated for joint inspections in Vizag.

The Commissioner notified that a penalty of Rs 10,000 would be levied for the first violation while the establishment would be slapped with a penalty of Rs 50,000 for the second violation of the parking fee order by the GVMC. The third violation, however, would call for the sealing of the premises or any other penalty as imposed by the Commissioner.