Parking contractors fleece city motorists

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 28

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to curb overcharging at parking lots by contractors.

The estate wing of the MC had fixed Rs 5 for cycle, 10 for two-wheeler and Rs 30 for car/jeep, but a parking contractor at the DC office complex has been charging double than the fixed charges. A contractor on Ajnala road parking lot has been charging Rs 50 for a car instead of Rs 30 and Rs 20 for a two-wheeler.

Ironically, contractors do not display parking charges, which is violation of the contract.

According to the MC, contractors need to display charges at various spots at parking lots, failing which the contract could be cancelled. As a result, people could often be seen entering into an argument with parking staff.

Meanwhile, the MC has been facing hardships to find parking contractors in the wake of the Covid-19.

MC officials claimed they had displayed charges at five parking lots last month. “Some mischievous persons removed the rate lists,” said, Daljit Singh, Superintendent (Land wing), MC.

“We received complaints regarding overcharging by parking contractors. Atleast, five times we installed boards displaying rate list, but it was removed. I have informed senior officials in this regard. Now, the Joint Commissioner has asked to install pole-mounted display, which can’t be removed,” said the Superintendent.

There are only five parking lots of MC which are functional.

Out of 12 parking lots five were operational, including Bhandari Bridge, DC office, Amandeep Hospital, Guru Nanak Bhawan and Kairon Market.