KOCHI: The High Court has ruled that the owner of the building can decide whether to collect parking fees from customers in shopping malls and other business establishments. The Kerala Municipality Building Rules states that there should be a certain amount of parking area, but Justice VG Arun has pointed out that there is no prohibition to collect fees here, as mentioned in another case.

The verdict of the single bench was on the petitions filed by Bosco Lewis, a native of Kalamassery, and Polly Vadakan, a native of Thrissur, against the imposition of parking fee at Lulu Mall, Ernakulam. The court did not accept the petitioners' argument that it was Lulu Mall’s legal obligation to provide parking facilities and they could not collect fees for that.

As per rules, the basement parking area of Lulu Mall requires facilities to park 1083 vehicles. There is no legal bar to collect fees for parking vehicles in this area. However, a license should be taken from the concerned local government body under section 475 of the Kerala Municipal Act to prepare a multi-level parking facility and for collecting fees.