Vigilance probe no deterrent, violations continue at parking lots

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 25

Despite a probe conducted by the Vigilance Department, violations continue at parking lots across the city.

A visit to the paid parking lot opposite Elante Mall, Industrial Area, Phase I, and the Sukhna Lake parking lot revealed several violations, including haphazard parking, lack of e-ticketing machines and staff without dress.

In the parking lot opposite Elante Mall, vehicles were parked haphazardly. Several vehicles were parked on the road berm. Though parking space for two-wheelers and four-wheelers was marked with white paint, workers of the contractor were allowing vehicles to be parked in the middle lane, which is not meant for parking. Besides, the staff were not using e-ticketing machines, which is mandatory. Though the staff at the entry point were properly dressed, at the exit point for four-wheelers, workers were not wearing the dress. Similarly, violations were found at the Sukhna Lake parking lot. Though there was no haphazard parking at the lake in the absence of rush today, violations such as lack of e-ticketing machines and workers not deputed at each 50 metres inside the parking lot were found.

e-ticketing machines

Sources said in the initial days of the contract, parking lot contractors had arranged e-ticketing machine from outside and gradually they shifted to the manual ticketing practice.

What the rule says

According to the minutes of the 217th meeting of the MC Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) on May 3, 2012, “Parking slips shall be issued at the entry point by the licensee. The parking fee will be paid at the entry point. The parking slips will be collected by the licensee at the exit gate. The licensee shall use an electronic ticketing machine for issuing the parking slips.”