Traders oppose parking tax at Nyamo Lotha Road

Dimapur, Aug. 14 (EMN): An association of businesspersons has objected to the Transport department’s recent decision to charge parking tax at the Nyamo Lotha Road in Dimapur. According to a statement from the Nyamo Lotha Road Business Association the levy will ‘definitely affect’ trading activities. “At the moment, autorickshaws which are the main mode of public transport are allowed entry only for specific hours thus making it difficult for common man to shop at NL Road. “On top of that, if vehicles are charged INR 10 per hour for parking then it will definitely affect the business along the stretch since it will discourage shoppers on vehicles to shop along the road stretch. For businessmen who come on vehicles, reach early morning and park their cars until late evening, they will have to pay at least INR 120-150 per day for parking tax which will take a toll on their daily expenses,” the statement read. It explained that for a commuter ‘who might stop only for few minutes will have to shell out INR 10 and this will obviously discourage the commuter to make a stopover along the stretch and opt for charge-free parking area elsewhere and shop there.’ According to the association, the transport authority’s reasoning that the levy was necessitated to streamline random parking and ensure smooth flow of traffic was irrational ‘since traffic personnel are deployed all over the town to ensure smooth traffic and regularised parking.’ “If at all parking tax is to be levied, why not the whole of Dimapur but only NL Road?” it asked. It urged the transport authority to cancel the order “and to rather appeal the traffic personnel to ensure smooth traffic and proper parking without creating unnecessary monetary burden on the public.”