No check on fleecing of AC market visitors

Harshraj Singh
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, October 29

Even one month after Congress MLA Rakesh Pandey raised the matter of illegal parking fee being charged from visitors outside the AC market, the MC has failed to check the violations till date. As the authorities turned a blind eye, many visitors are a harried lot.

Violating the rules, staff of the parking contractor is still charging fee from the visitors who park their vehicles in the area under the Lakkar Bridge outside the AC market.

MLA Pandey had raised the matter in a House meeting last month. The MLA had demanded from the civic body authorities to stop violations and act against those collecting ‘illegal’ parking fee from the visitors.

Notably, the MC has signed an agreement with the contractor for paid parking lots of Bhadaur House market but not for the nearby area under Lakkar Bridge.

The contractor’s staff charge fee from hundreds of the visitors for parking vehicles outside the AC market under the Lakkar Bridge. Even the illegal fee is charged for parking of commercial vehicles there.

One of the visitors at AC market, Ludhiana, said, “I am not aware whether the parking staff are authorised to collect parking fee here or not. But it is the responsibility of the MC authorities to keep a check on violations and act against those charging illegal fee from the visitors. No parking rates have been displayed at the site under the Lakkar Bridge.”

The role of the civic body authorities is under scanner as the parking area of the Bhadaur House market was not even demarcated properly. So the contractor has started charging fee outside the AC market which is near Bhadaur House market.

MLA Rakesh Pandey said, “I had raised the matter before the MC House and asked the authorities to stop these violations outside AC market. I will raise the issue before the higher authorities.”

When contacted, MC’s Tehbazari head Neeraj Jain said, “The contractor can’t charge any parking fee at the area under Lakkar Bridge outside AC market. The contractor is supposed to charge parking fee only at designated parking sites of Bhadaur House market. We will look into the matter and if anyone is found violating norms, appropriate action would be taken.”