New Delhi: Soon, Delhiites will have to pay more for parking in public places. The BJPled municipal corporations plan to double the parking rates — from Rs 10 for the entire day to Rs 20 for three hours. The move comes despite BJP promising in its 2012 municipal election manifesto that it will not increase taxes. Sources said the party is compelled to do so as all the three corporations are facing a financial crunch. Senior BJP councilors of the three corporations will soon hold a meeting with Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta to finalize the rates, they added. “We plan to charge Rs 20 for the first three hours and Rs 10 for subsequent hours. Parking rates have not been revised for decades now. Moreover, this is a nominal hike compared to what the Delhi government had proposed or what various committees have recommended,’’ said Subhash Arya, leader of the house, the South corporation. The cash-strapped North and East corporations are looking at ways of boosting revenue. With the assembly elections scheduled this year, BJP is in no mood to upset its vote bank. At the same time, corporations are struggling to provide basic facilities due to shortage of funds. “We are forced to hike the rates as the Delhi government is not giving us basic financial support. Help has been given in the form of loan. However, there will be no increase in property tax,’’ said a senior BJP councillor. BJP councillors said parking rates will be uniform throughout the city, and the final decision would be taken in a meeting of councillors from all the corporations and Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta later this month. While presenting the budget the three municipal commissioners had proposed different tax slabs. BJP, however, has decided to keep the rates uniform. “We don’t want to confuse people by fixing different rates. The hike is going to be nominal,” said Mahinder Nagpal, leader of the House, North Delhi Municipal Corporation. While the South corporation has approved the hike, the standing committee of North and East corporations will place the proposal in its budget presentation on January 8 and January 15 respectively. The parking rates proposed by the three corporations are much less than what was discussed in meeting chaired by chief secretary P K Tripathi in October 2012. The Delhi government had proposed a steep hike. The rates proposed were: Rs 10-15 for half an hour, Rs 20 for one hour, Rs 50 for three hours and Rs 100-150 for six hours. There will be a sharp increase in the rates for subsequent hours. Though the rates have not been finalized, all the agencies favour a hike, said sources. It was suggested that beyond six hours, Rs 20-25 should be charged per hour.