MC’s iron hand fails, fleecing continues

Less than a week after the municipal corporation (MC) auctioned a parking lot at Malhar Road with a warning to the contractor to refrain from overcharging, Radha Raman Contractor Pvt Ltd is doing exactly that.

Though the MC clearly mentioned in the norms that fee for parking of four-wheelers was

10 for whole day and 5 for two-wheelers, the contractor is charging 20 and 10 respectively.

That’s not all. In more violation of MC norms, the contractor has not displayed the fee on boards and is also issuing old slips, which were for a parking lot on Ferozepur Road.

Despite the glaring violations, the MC is sitting on its hands when it comes to taking action ag ainst the contractor, even though it had announced at the auction held on June 5 that a
1,000-fine will be imposed on contractors found overcharging, followed by cancellation of licence if three complaints were received.

A visit to the parking lot revealed that many visitors were not even aware that they were being fleeced and that they were being issued parking slips that were not even for the lot on Malhar road. While showing a parking slip to HT, Chamkaur, who parked the vehicle outside a restaurant on Malhar road, said,

“I parked my car here for which the person manning the parking demanded 20 from me. When I reacted, he remained adamant and I was forced to pay 20.”

When asked, an employee standing outside Sankalap restaurant, claimed, “I was asked to charge 20. 10 is charged for two-wheelers. We are following the norms.”