Traders, truckers protest ‘entry fee’ at Dana Mandi

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 21

Shopkeepers and tempo unions are up in arms against the ‘entry fee’ being charged from vehicles at Dana Mandi, near Karabara Chowk, here. After a driver was allegedly thrashed by ‘bouncers’ hired by the parking contractor, they staged a protest against on Saturday.

The protesters stated the parking fee should be charged at only designated parking site but the contractor had deployed bouncers at all entrances to Dana Mandi to charge fee from vehicles. They also raised slogans against the Congress government, seeking action against the contractor and his staff.

Amarnath Kala of the Kala Transport Tempo Union alleged that the bouncers working for the parking contractor created fear among the visitors and started charging entry fee from Saturday. “They thrashed one of the drivers as he refused to pay in the morning. The ‘gunda tax’ is being levied in the name of entry fee. The fee should be charged at only designated parking area. We have purchased our shops at Dana Mandi.”

“Earlier, fee was only charged from trucks for parking inside Dana Mandi. But now, fee is charged from every vehicle, including cars, two-wheelers, small commercial vehicles and trucks, at the entry points,” he said.

Roshan Lal, a shop owner, said: “We are witnessing sheer ‘gunda gardi’ here. Customers have stopped visiting here as no one is allowed to enter Dana Mandi without paying fee. We will intensify our agitation if no action is taken by the government in this regard.”

According to the agreement, the contractor is supposed to install CCTV cameras at the entry and exit points to keep a check on vehicles. Moreover, the contractor is supposed to issue digital parking fee slips. However, the shopkeepers alleged neither CCTV cameras had been installed nor digital parking fee slips were issued. They alleged street vendors were also being forced to pay for entry into Dana Mandi.

Following the protest, the police reached the spot and asked both parties to visit the police station. 

Councillor from Ward No. 2 Gurmail Singh Jajji said: “The parking contractor is forcefully charging fee from poor people. The people in residential area under the Punjab Mandi Board are also suffering due to nuisance being created by the parking staff. We will complain to Chairman of Punjab Mandi Board Lal Singh.”

Raju, who looks after work of LRY Contractor, could not be contacted for his comments. However, the parking staff claimed that they did not thrash anyone and they charged fee as per the terms and conditions.