MCD Initiates RFID and FASTag Services at Three Parking Sites in Delhi

New Delhi: After much anticipation, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has officially launched RFID and FASTag services at three parking locations – Saket in the south, and Mandawali and South Ganesh Nagar in the east of Delhi. This significant step is geared towards digitising the fee collection process entirely and streamlining parking operations across the city.

"We have now installed boom barriers at the entrances of three designated areas, where parking fees are collected via FASTag. The sensors positioned at the entry points of the parking lots seamlessly read the tags and deduct charges. This method eliminates any potential disputes with parking attendants regarding fees and enhances monitoring capabilities to curb misuse," stated an official. The system is described as automated, cashless, and hassle-free.

By the end of this month, seven additional sites, including those in Dwarka and Munirka, are slated to become operational. Presently, efforts are underway to integrate, install, and operationalise the system at these locations.

"The facility primarily caters to four-wheelers. However, we will provide alternative digital payment options if there are any issues with deducting fees via FASTag or if the tag is damaged. Cash payments will not be accepted. Two-wheelers can pay parking fees through QR Code, e-wallet, or UPI," explained an MCD official.

The MCD aims to implement this facility at 21 locations featuring single entry and exit points. "Tenders have been allocated for several sites, and we initially aimed to complete the work by the end of the previous month. However, the deadline was extended due to pending tasks such as electricity connection, tiling, and levelling at some places. Notably, roadside parking lots with multiple entry and exit points are not included in this initiative," added the official.

Among the identified sites are Sapna Cinema in East of Kailash, Dwarka Sector 4, 12, 13, 14 metro stations, Sector 11-Pocket 4 and Pocket 1 Market in Munirka, Subhash Nagar multi-level parking, MCD plot at Ramdev Chowk, and Rajendra Place in cluster I. The cluster will accommodate 1,507 spaces for four-wheelers and 1,060 slots for two-wheelers.

The introduction of this system follows complaints from users regarding prolonged parking times and instances of overcharging by parking attendants. The South MCD had earlier operationalized the city's first RFID-based municipal parking lot in Dwarka Sector 14 on September 30, 2021. Moreover, FASTag-based parking fee collection systems are already functional in various malls across Delhi NCR.

In the next phase, MCD plans to extend FASTag services to 28 additional sites, with surveys set to commence shortly. Phase 3 will see the implementation of this system at four more locations.