Fleecing at parking lots in Ludhiana: Nexus of MC, pvt staff taking toll on visitors

The staffers of the previous contractors of six parking lots in the city continue to fleece residents. This is being done in presence of the municipal corporation (MC) staffers who have been deputed to manage the lots. Receipts of MC are being issued by the private staff.

Private staff can be seen charging visitors at all six parking lots, the contracts for which expired last month, and are currently being managed by the MC. The nexus is taking a toll on the public, and senior MC officials are turning a blind eye to the situation.

The lots include multi-storey parking near MC Zone-A office, Model Town Extension (tuition market), BRS Nagar (near Orient Cinema), Sarabha Nagar Market Block-I, Bhadaur House and Feroze Gandhi Market

The staff is charging upto Rs 50 against the approved fee of Rs 20 for parking a car. Either no receipt is issued, or used manual receipts are given at some of the lots, This is resulting in harassment for residents and a loss to the exchequer. An MC official, requesting anonymity, said that senior officials are aware of the issue, but they can’t take action due to involvement of MC staff and politicians. Also, the MC does not have the number of staffers needed to manage the lots. Most of the time, no receipt is issued to the visitors, and the amount collected is pocketed by private staff and contractors.

The MC has also been receiving complaints from residents regarding misbehaviour by the private staff. A resident of BRS Nagar, Gurkirat Singh, said: “The staff at the parking lots are rude to visitors and I have also been a victim of the same. When I questioned them about the overcharging, they misbehaved with me. When people gathered at the spot, they went away. The MC should take strict action against the private staff of contractors and overcharging should be stopped.”

MC secretary, Neeraj Jain said, “We have deputed the MC’s staff at the parking lots. Directions have been issued that no private person should be allowed to collect parking fee. Some private persons have also been removed from the lots in the past and I will direct the ground staff to keep a check on the illegal practice.”

The finance and contracts committee (F&CC) of MC on Thursday held a hearing for two parking contractors, who were earlier blacklisted by MC, at the mayor’s camp office.

Mayor Balkar Sandhu did not participate in the meeting. As per information, the contractors had moved court against MC’s decision and the court had directed them to first take up the case with the arbitrator, who in this case is the MC commissioner. Senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra said: “The contractors have been heard, but the decision to blacklist them cannot be rolled back as it has been decided by the F&CC.“