PMC wakes up, orders inquiry into ‘brazen parking loot’

A visit to the civic parking facility at PMC headquarters, Balgandharva Rangmandir, PL Deshpande Garden, Aryan Parking, Ganeshkala Krida Manch had revealed that private contractors charged Rs 5 for two-wheelers and Rs 10 for four-wheelers, while the PMC policy stipulates a parking fee of Rs 2 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 5 for four-wheelers.

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The pay and park facility is being implemented at civic offices, cultural centres, gardens and parking bays developed by the civic body.

“Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Bakoria has directed the civic staff to pay surprise visits to each civic parking facility run by private contractors. A detailed report has been sought in a week,” said PMC estate officer Satish Kulkarni.

He said contractors reported to be charging more parking fee from citizens have been asked to submit a clarification on the additional money they were charging. “All the contractors charging more money for parking of vehicles would face civic action,” Kulkarni said.

Civic activist Vivek Velankar said the people are being “looted” by private contractors in most of the civic parking facility as there is no monitoring by the civic administration. “The civic administration allots contracts to private agencies but never bothers to monitor whether they are recovering the parking fee as decided by the civic body,” he said.

It was necessary for private contractors to put up boards showing parking fee, at the entrance to each civic parking facility, Velankar said,”The PMC should paint parking charges at entry points as well as other places at the parking facility so that people are aware of actual fee for parking vehicle and are not cheated by contractors.

The receipt given to citizens should be bigger in size with the printed parking fee instead of the contractors writing down the amount.

Shiv Sena corporator Ashok Harnaval said they would take up the issue in the meeting of the standing committee and the general body as the citizens are being looted by private contractors. “The civic administration has been allowing the loot of citizens by private contractors. There is no action against the contractors,” he added.