Six parking lots go under the hammer, fetch MC Rs 3.17 crore

While providing relief to cyclists by providing them free parking facility, municipal corporation (MC) fetched Rs 3.17 crore for six months from six parking lots during an auction organised at MC’s Zone-D office on Thursday.

A total of 17 bidders participated in the auction.

Besides, it was decided that a one-time fee of Rs 5 will be charged from two-wheelers and Rs 10 from four-wheelers parked for a whole day at the lots at Feroze Gandhi market, Sarabha Nagar main market, Malhar Road, I block Sarabha Nagar and Ghumar Mandi.

At the parking lots on Ferozepur Road, the parking fee for first hour will be Rs 5 for twowheeler and Rs 10 for four-wheelers. But fee for second hour will be double the first hour, triple for the third hour and four times for the fourth hour. If vehicle is parked for more than four hours, Rs 5,000 will be charged as fine. On the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, no parking fee will be charged for cycles.

Earlier in the day, the first auction was held for the parking lots on Ferozepur Road for which the reserved price for six months was Rs 25 lakh. They were auctioned for Rs 1.40 crore, while the highest bid for lots was Rs 1 crore against the reserved price of Rs 25 lakh at Feroze Gandhi market.

Meanwhile, during the auction, bidders entered into an argument after there was confusion over the second highest bid. Later, the officials took decision that if the bidder concerned failed to submit 25% of the total amount within 24 hours, auction could be held again.

MC tehbazari wing superintendent Jasdev Singh Sekhon cleared that the contractors could not charge any amount from vehicles parked on footpaths or inside yellow line at Feroze Gandhi market.

NEW PARKING LOTS
MC also held auction for four new parking sites of Sarabha Nagar main market, Malhar Road, I-block Sarabha Nagar and Ghumar Mandi. The reserved price for parking site of Sarabha Nagar main market was Rs 5 lakh but it was auctioned for Rs 27 lakh for six months.

The parking will be now paid for vehicles parked inside yellow lines of both sides of road in
Ghumar Mandi, from Aarti Chowk to ITI College for Girls. The highest bid for these parking lots was Rs 30.50 lakh, while reserved price was Rs 3.5 lakh.

However, a few sought that the MC not hold an auction for I-block of Sarabha Nagar, as majority of the vehicles were of devotees, who came to pay obeisance at a nearby temple. But MC officials rejected their suggestion and auctioned the lot for Rs 3 lakh against the reserved price of Rs 1 lakh.

The last auction was held for parking lots inside yellow lines on Malhar Road. These were auctioned for Rs 17.20 lakh against the reserved price of Rs 2.5 lakh. But the civic body cleared that people coming to drop or pick students at educational institutes on Malhar Road and Ghumar Mandi would not be charged.

The auction was held under the chairmanship of MC joint commissioner Amarjeet Singh Sekhon, while zonal commissioner PS Ghuman and councillors concerned were present.