Hefty charges, residents opt for no-parking zones at rly station

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, June 23

Fleecing of visitors is on at the city railway station.

Flouting norms, the parking contractor has been charging arbitrarily from visitors right under the nose of the divisional railway authorities.

The railway authorities, however, have expressed ignorance about the issue.

Despite having space at the parking zones, people prefer to park their vehicles at the “no-parking” areas.

Reason: Hefty parking charges irk them.

Residents also alleged that when they questioned about the hefty parking prices from the parking staff, they misbehaved with them.

Meanwhile, a visit to the parking area at the railway station revealed that the charges of parking displayed on the board hung at a parking lot was different from what was being charged from visitors.

As per the parking slip issued by the parking staff, the price of parking vehicle for 1 minute to 4 hours was Rs59, while the price displayed on the board was Rs50. To park a vehicle between 4 hours and 24 hours, the price displayed on the board was Rs100, but the parking contractor was charging Rs118. And if the vehicle was parked for over 24 hours, the per day parking charges are Rs236, while the board displays Rs200.

When questioned as to why the price listed on the board displays different price from what was printed on the slips being issued to visitors, the parking staff replied that the rate list displayed on the board at the station doesn’t include GST, while the charges mentioned on the slips include it.

As a result, overcharging is pushing people to park vehicles right outside the parking lot, where they do not have to pay the hefty charges. But unfortunately, this creates traffic mess.

One of the residents Pardeen Singh Kang, on a Facebook group Notice Board Jalandhar shared his plight by saying that the parking fee at the city railway station was even more than some airports and the public was now not parking their vehicles at the parking lot, but on roads. The railway authorities must intervene in the matter, he said.

Other visitor Deepal Arora, said: “I just came to drop my wife and parked my vehicle for 10 minutes and paid Rs59. Such hefty price burn a hole in visitors’ pockets, while the authorities concerned are least bothered.”

A boy working at the parking lot informed The Tribune: “We have to pay a hefty amount to the authorities as rent every month and to get the contract renewed every year and we cannot cover that amount by charging less, therefore the prices are high.” The parking contractor and railway superintendent could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.