The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has slammed the BJP-led New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) for doubling parking charges in the name of fighting pollution, calling it yet another anti-people decision. Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House, Ankush Narang, said the move has only burdened citizens without reducing pollution, as people are now parking on roads to avoid the fees. He demanded that the government make public any data showing a decline in pollution after the hike.
Pointing to the sharp rise in pollution levels in Delhi, AAP’s LoP in MCD House Ankush Narang stated, “In recent days, pollution levels in Delhi have increased significantly. To curb pollution, the BJP-ruled New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has doubled the parking fees. This move is completely unjust and illegal. Has this decision reduced pollution in Delhi? Can the Delhi government or NDMC provide data showing how much pollution has actually decreased after doubling the parking charges?”
Highlighting the impact of the decision, Ankush Narang said, “The result has been the exact opposite. Those who could afford to pay simply took out their vehicles, parked them, and paid the charges. But a large number of vehicles remained parked on roads, footpaths, and illegally across the city. This worsened traffic congestion and made the pollution levels even more severe.”
Criticising the anti-people impact of the decision, he added, “What is most shocking is that even as pollution worsened, people continued shopping. This decision served neither the interests of Delhi’s businesspersons, who have placed their trust in the BJP, nor the interests of the general public. It did not help reduce pollution either. Instead, it imposed an additional financial burden on the people of Delhi, which is completely wrong.”
Referring to growing dissent among businesspersons, Ankush Narang continued, “The same businesspersons who had trusted the BJP and voted enthusiastically for it are now standing against this illegitimate decision. The BJP government’s move to double parking fees has severely impacted business. Trader associations too are strongly opposing this anti-people step of the BJP.”
Condemning the BJP’s approach, he further said, “The BJP should be ashamed of taking such decisions. These are steps that only harm the people of Delhi and bring them no benefit whatsoever. It seems this government has lost all sense. The BJP neither uses its mind nor has any concrete plan to control pollution. They have failed to reduce pollution and are instead looting people under the pretext of parking. This is open fraud by the BJP, and the party should be ashamed.”
