Is MCD Parking at City Centre Sector-12 Illegal?

The stretch of road adjoining City Centre Mall, Sector-12, Dwarka -a major hub for shopping, dining, and commuting  is once again in the spotlight as questions surface over the legality and safety of the MCD-authorised parking operating there. While the site has served as an MCD parking lot for over three to four years, residents now allege that the contract may have expired, and the continued fee collection appears unauthorised. According to standard Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) procedures, parking lots are allotted through e-tendering, usually for a duration of three years, with a possible extension of two years based on performance. Contractors pay a monthly licence fee to MCD and are permitted to collect fixed user charges. The current rates for authorised surface parking are ₹20/hour for cars and ₹10/hour for two-wheelers.

However, local shopkeepers and regular visitors claim that the current operator has overstayed the tenure. “There has been no new tender notice or signboard from MCD since early 2022. If the contract ended in December 2024, why are they still charging us?” said Mr. Ravi Malhotra, a resident of Sector-11. Beyond legal concerns, the issue of encroachment by parking attendants has become a daily hazard for pedestrians.

“The footpaths are either blocked by parked vehicles or the staff themselves direct cars right up to the building entrances, leaving no space to walk,” said Meena Sharma, a schoolteacher who commutes via metro and walks past the area daily. “We are forced to walk on the road between moving traffic. It’s scary, especially for senior citizens and children.” Echoing the same concern, another commuter, college student Rajiv Thakur, said, “The contractor has turned the entire side lane into a parking lot. Even pedestrian crossings are blocked. What kind of civic sense is this? It’s not just illegal, it’s dangerous.” Residents are urging the MCD to investigate the contract status, remove unauthorized encroachments, and restore safe walkways. They also demand that details of the current contract, if valid, be made public and that proper signage, receipt issuance, and boundary demarcation be enforced. Until then, citizens remain stuck between misgovernance and risk, questioning whether public safety and transparency are being parked indefinitely.