Arya firm takes over parking lots

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12

A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court suspended the cancellation order issued by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the parking firm, Arya Toll Infra Limited, took over the charge of all 25 paid parking lots on Thursday.

While all employees of the parking firm returned to work, residents were fumed over the increased rates again. Residents expressed resentment over the lack of facilities at some parking lots.

Parking firm employees had a tough time explaining to residents that they were taking the earlier hiked charges. The confusion regarding the rates was created after the MC reduced the charges by half on Wednesday.

Complying with the order of the court, officials of the MC handed over the charge of the parking lots to the firm around 10 am after receiving the representation.

The notice of the possession has also been displayed at the entrance to the parking lots. The entire process of handing over the possession was done under cameras.

The MC had taken over the charge of the parking lots soon after issuing the cancellation order on July 9. The civic body deployed more than 300 employees from different departments under the supervision of senior officers and had also reduced the parking rates by half.

The rates were reduced from Rs 10 to Rs 5 for two-wheelers and from Rs 20 to Rs 10 for four-wheelers. The company deposited Rs 1.35 crore on Wednesday and post-dated cheques of the remaining amount of the licence fee were also deposited on Thursday.

Sunil Badlani, officer of the parking firm, said the firm took over the charge and started charging old rates as per the agreement. The MC has cancelled the contract on July 9 after the firm failed to deposit the licence fee of Rs 3.69 crore for the fifth quarter and took over the charge of the parking.