Kolkata, 04 August (H.S.) : West Bengal Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Pal on Tuesday said the state government is working towards conducting the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections in November–December this year. She also announced a comprehensive overhaul of the city's parking system to curb illegal parking and ensure greater transparency.

Speaking on the proposed civic polls, Pal said the government is examining the restructuring of municipal wards to ensure better delivery of civic services. She noted that there is a significant imbalance in the size and population of several wards, with some being too large to provide efficient public services while others receive the same financial allocation despite having a much smaller population.

The minister said the government aims to hold the KMC elections in November or December. She added that if her party secures the people's mandate, it will focus on improving civic infrastructure and public services across the city.

Addressing the issue of illegal parking, Pal said the Kolkata Police has identified nearly 15,000 parking locations within the KMC area, while around 9,000 to 10,000 have so far been officially listed by the civic body. The remaining locations will be verified and brought under the authorised parking system.

She announced that every authorised parking facility will have uniformed attendants carrying photo identity cards. Parking charges will be collected through a digital payment system, with a dedicated mobile application currently under development. The move is aimed at eliminating cash transactions and making the parking system more transparent. Display boards indicating the approved parking rates for different durations will also be installed at every parking location.

The minister urged motorists not to park vehicles on footpaths and asked them to use only designated parking areas. She warned that vehicles found parked illegally on footpaths would face enforcement action, including fines imposed by the Kolkata Police. According to Pal, the new measures are intended to improve traffic management, enhance transparency, and ensure smoother movement of pedestrians and vehicles across the city.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh