Feroze Gandhi Market visitors being charged ''illegally'' to park vehicles

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 10

Those visiting the Feroze Gandhi Market are being made to pay ‘illegal’ fee for parking vehicles not at any designated parking space, but on the roads!

It’s been over a year now and despite several complaints, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has been turning a blind eye to this menace. Several complaints were made to the Chief Minister and Local Bodies Minister as well, but to no avail.

The civic body had earlier signed an agreement with the contractor for only designated parking lots at the Feroze Gandhi Market. But the staff working under it said they were allowed to park vehicles, including two-wheelers and four-wheelers, on roads and hence charge fee for it.

The members of Traders’ and Property Owners’ Association, Feroze Gandhi Market, had in July staged a protest against this menace. They had also complained to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Later, an inquiry was marked in this regard, but no action was taken against the contractor, who according to sources is being backed by some political leaders. General secretary of the association, KS Monga, said: “The contractor has encroached upon the roads and is openly charging fee for parking vehicles in the market. However, they can’t force anyone to pay for parking vehicles on roads.”

“An inquiry was marked by the government, but no action has been taken against the erring parking contractor, who is fleecing people. We had given our statement and proofs to the MC, but to no avail,” he said.

“To redress the problem of traffic snarls, the traffic police made it one way. However, the civic body never took action against the encroachments and violations being done here in broad daylight. Instead of listening to the grievances of the public, the MC rewarded the contractor by extending his agreement for another year,” a member said.

Aapna Punjab Party leader Balkaur Singh Gill had also raised voice against these violations. He said: “We have found that the parking staff was charging fee in an unauthorised manner from visitors. Moreover, district courts, office of the Deputy Commissioner and Police Commissioner are located near the market, but parking staff violates norms without any fear of law. Visitors are helpless.”

“Thousands of people visit this market every day, but there is shortage of space for parking of a large number of vehicles. The parking staff takes advantage of the helplessness of visitors and makes them park their vehicles on roads. However, nobody can charge fee for parking vehicles on roads. The MC should also construct a multilevel parking here to create more space,” a shopkeeper said.

Traffic snarls are witnessed everyday in the market as vehicles are parked on both sides of the road and even in a lane reserved for fire tenders, the association member said.

Meanwhile, Raju, who looks after the parking lots under Arjun Yadav and Company, said: “We charge fee for parking vehicles inside a line marked on roads at the Feroze Gandhi Market. No violation is being done from our side.”

MC Joint Commissioner Satwant Singh said: “The fee can’t be charged for parking of vehicles on roads. The inquiry is on in this regard. If any violation is found, we will take necessary action.”