Parking fee never left city despite ban

Parking fee never left city despite ban
By: Madhusudan Maney
Date: 2009-01-06

Bangalore:

Paid service: Parking fee being collected on MG Road
MID DAY did a reality check and found that attendants in parking lots on M G Road and Commercial Street continue to flourish

Ban or no ban, uproar or silence, parking fees just cannot be wished away. Or so it seems.

Last week there was a hue and cry when pay and park reared its head in some areas. Following this, the BBMP withdrew the order.

However, the reality is that people continue to pay the fee in most roads.

MiD DAY went around MG Road, Church Street and Commercial Street where parking fees were collected last week and BBMP receipts were given.

The order was subsequently withdrawn, but we found that parking fee was still being collected by unauthorised persons. The fee is Rs 2 for two wheelers and Rs 10 for four wheelers.

Srinivas who parked his vehicle on M G Road said, "People collect parking fee in many parts of the city, when I refuse to pay, they say 'don't I look after your vehicle till you come back? Can't you pay small change?'."

Illegal collection

Bharat, who parked his two-wheeler on Church Street, and paid Rs 2, said, "This is not new, wherever you park your vehicle in Bangalore, it's the same story. Once after parking my vehicle, I refused to pay the fee. Later when I came back to my vehicle I was shocked to see that my seat cover was damaged with a blade. BBMP officials should take action on the people who collect parking fee illegally," he said.

Sandhya N, had parked her two-wheeler on Hospital Road opposite Safina Plaza. "I come shopping here often and have always paid parking fee. Just last week, I got a BBMP receipt for it. Previously I did not get it. Now again I have not got the receipt but I have still paid the fee," she said.

Legal action

BBMP commissioner Bharatlal Meena said, "If we come across such incidents we will definitely take legal action. People also should protest and should not pay money. Collecting parking fee in private premises is different and it's left to the building owner, but collecting in public places is illegal. Public should come forward to complain to the BBMP to take action against such people."

When contacted, Praveen Sood, additional commissioner (traffic and security) said that the matter did not come under the police purview and BBMP was responsible for it.