Charging parking fees at malls, multiplexes ‘illegal’: BDA

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has asked apartments, shopping malls, multiplexes, private hospitals, and other commercial establishments to stop charging parking fees on their premises with immediate effect.

BDA has issued a notice that charging of fees towards off-street parking at shopping malls, multiplexes, commercial buildings, hospitals, etc has been exempted under the BDA (Planning & Building Standards) Regulations.

It said strict action will be taken against those who violate the same.

“It has come to the notice of the BDA that different shopping malls, multiplexes and apartments are imposing parking charges/fees. This is not consistent with the provisions of the BDA (P&BS) regulations as well as the approved building plan and the developers/owners are hereby directed to stop the illegal practice of charging parking fees from the visitors, immediately,” said a BDA order.

Besides, it has come to notice of BDA that the parking area shown in the approved building plan is being used for purposes other than parking vehicles on some such buildings.

Such misuse of parking is resulting in on-street parking and thereby adversely affecting the traffic movement on the public road, the BDA said.