Policenama Online Team : It was only a couple of months ago gentle-faced Amol Balwadkar assumed the office of chairman of the city development committee in PMC. He was the first who proposed the ides of making parking in malls free in the very first meeting, garnering an assent from all other members instantly.
An immediate after daunting task of making it happen, he never thinks of legal aspect of the issue. Amol said, “I was only driven by the belief that the charge levied on citizens was unfair. I thought this was nothing short of daylight robbery from patrons who walk into the malls.
The parking in the hotel is free while malls patrons are forced to shell out money. In both the places patrons spend some time and money. It was about time that change was brought,” said the 32-year-old corporator from Balewadi.
In the first meeting itself all members of the committee agreed to the proposal put up by Balewadi corporator, referring to the existing proposal and provision in law which stated that malls are public spaces and parking into such spaces can only be charged by municipal bodies.
A developer by profession, Balwadkar belongs from affluent family from Balewadi and he entered into politics only in 2012. First contested in 2017 on BJP and won by thumping margin.