Open House: What should be done to check overcharging and misbehaviour at parking lots?

MC should launch its mobile app

The fleecing of visitors is going on unabated in various parking lots of the MC in spite of tall claims of the AAP government to weed out corruption in the state. At most of the parking lots, no receipt is issued and the amount collected is pocketed by the private staff and the contractor causing a loss to the exchequer. There are also complaints of private staff misbehaving with the visitors. A few days back a contractor removed the parking fee boards, which MLA Ashok Pappi had got installed in the parking space near Mata Rani Chowk but the MC officials kept mum and simply reinstalled the boards. Contactors should be asked to give uniforms and identity cards to the parking staff. The contractors should also be instructed to display the fee structure at the entry and exit points of all parking spaces. The MC should blacklist the erring contractors and staff should be deputed at the parking lots to check overcharging. The MC should launch a mobile app to curb overcharging in parking lots and these lots should also be mapped enabling the visitors to know about the status of parking space availability through the app. Visitors should also be able to book their tickets through the mobile app.

RS SEMBHI

Digital payments must be promoted

To solve the problem of overcharging and misbehaviour in the parking lots is that there should be some kind of technique that the people who come around are able to pay digitally and they receive SMS on their mobile phones about the amount they have paid. If they visit some other place and pay to park more than the fixed price they can show the SMS as a proof.

Mishpreet Kaur

Display rates on board clearly

Displaying fee notices on the parking lots has not served the purpose as the contractors are flouting the rules boldly. To overcome the issue authorities must visit each parking lot and inspect every private contractor. Fee boards should be displayed at appropriate places. People should be made aware that if they get overcharged, they must report to the authorities and authorities will take action at that right moment. Moreover, parking fees should be charged only in digital form and no fee receipt should be accepted in paper form so that proper records of the vehicles and fees charged can be kept.

Sehajbir Singh

Form committees at local level

High parking fees and misbehaviour at parking points are some issues that get often neglected. In order to address these problems, the state governments should appoint committees at the local level to ascertain that the contractors don’t charge more than what has been fixed by the government. They can also negotiate with the contractors to adjust the parking rates. Some laws regarding the same should also be brought into practice.

Parwinder Kaur

Have uniform parking charges across city

Overcharging in parking lots is a common issue among city residents. These issues can be solved by uniform rates for all parking lots, providing a document detailing the charge for parking in each lot, which the contractor must present if requested. In case, they are unable to do so, parking should be allowed free.

Jasjot Singh

Make sure rules are followed

It is the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation to ensure that the parking contractors charge the correct fee. It has been observe that the parking lot boys charge a fee higher than the one fixed by the corporation. The MC must declare the fee fixed for various time periods, including for overnight parking of vehicles, before auctioning of the lots and display these at the entrance point. The MC must engage youngsters who should visit these parking lots during the day, talk to the customers and keep a check that only the fee fixed is being charged. The contractors charging a higher fee must be changed immediately or the culprits reported to the police or heavily fined. This step will also help in creation of more jobs.

Gautam Dev

Cancel tenders of errant contractors

It is shameful that the orders of the Municipal Commissioner regarding card rates of parking aren’t followed. This is the result of nexus between employees and contractors. This is the real proof of corruption in local bodies department. Only will power of state government can break this type of mafia nexus. Opposition parties, pressure groups and members of civil society have special role to play. They can force the MC to implement the government policy. People can raise this issue in print and electronic media. The MC can make provisions of harsh punishment to offenders and cancel tenders of errant contractors.

Sukhdev Sharma

Install centralised computer system

To prevent overcharging at parking lots across the city, the Municipal Corporation has to computerise the entire process. They should intend to install a centralised computer system to curb the overcharging nuisance in the parking lots. In this system, all parking lots handling machines, which release the payment receipts, should be connected to the corporation’s common server. The server would record all vehicle numbers with place, time and date. With this new system, we will able to get rid of overcharging complaints at parking lots. One of the important features of this system should be the availability of SMS and vehicle owner can have this information on his mobile. As the machines used by the pay-and-park operators at these parking lots are connected to the Municipal Corporation’s main server, it will have the record of each and every vehicle.

Prabhneet Kaur

Parking fee should be nominal

The local government must establish one committee to look after all the parking lots in the city. Each contract must be given with prior advertisement in newspapers. Contract must be based on some terms and conditions. Each company having the contract must display a rate list of all vehicles for parking. Those who violate the terms and conditions must be debarred from the contract and the committee must be held responsible. The parking place must be neat and clean. Parking fees must be very nominal as in Chandigarh so that each person may be able to park his vehicle in the parking lot.

Mohd Saleem Farooqui

Govt must operate parking lots

The parking lots should be operated by the government and reasonable prices must be fixed for vehicles. If anyone was founded overcharging then we should complain to the area’s councillor. If overcharging is controlled by the government it will be a great relief for commuters.

Naunidh Kaur

Hold secret probe to nab culprits

Even months after the Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s directive to display official rates at the parking lots, no such rate cards can be seen, leading to fleecing of gullible consumers. It should surely pointed towards a nexus between civic officials and parking contractors. To check overcharging and misbehaviour at the parking lot, a secret investigation should be done. The social activist also should come forward together and raised voice against such overcharging and misbehaviour at the parking lot. By adopting these measures the problem of overcharging and misbehaviour at parking lots can be curbed.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Computer-linked billing machines needed

Cars and scooters are common modes of transportation in the city for visiting distant locations, thus residents must find safe parking spaces for their vehicles. They feel duped, when a parking attendant overcharges them and there is no fee list on display for them to refer. Despite repeated requests, civic authorities who lease parking lots to contractors refuse to take consumer complaints seriously. This clearly indicates that civic officials and parking contractors are working hand in hand. To alleviate this annoyance, all parking attendants must be equipped with handheld billing machines that are linked to the primary computer at the MCs office in order to monitor all parking related activities.

Novin Christopher

Parking lots must be properly maintained

Wherever we visit any mall, market, office or recreation centre we need proper parking lots for our vehicles. Majority of parking lots are fully maintained but take extra charges to park our vehicles. Some of these are not maintained but take extra charges. Some are good but staff is very rude to the customers. Even months after MC chief’s directive to display official rates at the parking lots, majority rate cards aren’t seen yet. The MC must take strict action through errant officials and contractors. Every parking lot must be maintained. By making rules and ensuring its implementation, our problem will be solved.

Sehajroop Kaur Sodhi

Be honest to the public

Even months after the MC Commissioner‘s directive to display official rates at the parking lots, it has not been implemented. As they are very clever they take advantage of us. In the absence of displayed rates, they collect as per their wish. Regular inspection of parking lots should be done and erring contractors should be severely punished. Any nexus between officials and contractors should also be checked by senior officials.

Balwin Kaur Uppal

Ensure genuine rates are charged

Often when we talk of parking lots in the city made by the MC the most obnoxious word nexus comes to our mind. It is always the nexus plays its dubious role at that time. The rates on papers are not implemented rather by the disgrace of evil desires the exuberant rates are implanted. The first impression of any city is lost in a malicious way. The government need to check this menace only genuine rates should be taken.

JB S Nanda

Blacklist contractors fleecing people

The problem of public exploitation by parking lots contractors is very common in the city and going on with impunity in spite of repeated complaints. The Municipal Corporation should blacklist those contractors who deceitfully charge the people and cancel their contracts forever. The exact list of rates should be boldly hung at the entry and exit of the lot so that commuters are not cheated.

Dr Sunil Chopra

Norms should be same for all

Lack in implementation of rules is the main problem faced by the general public which leads to exploitation of them. No doubt, the MC Commissioner has made it mandatory to display the parking rates but this is just on paper. Rates should be fixed by the MC and proper check must also be kept. Surprise checking must be done to ensure the proper follow-up. Culprits must be heavily fined and public reviews must also be taken. Paid parkings are always been a matter of serious concern which should be solved at the earliest.

Ritu Priya

Parking lots must display rate list

The problem of parking persists in the city. The local government must centralise the parking contract. In each area and market there must be a parking place so that the unnecessary movement of vehicles may be avoided. Each parking lot must display the rate list of each vehicle. Those who are changing extra fees must be held responsible along with the officials of the MC who gave the contract. In each parking lot, a telephone number must be displayed to lodge the complaints of public regarding any problem of parking. The parking lot must observe the conditions of parking laid down by the MC.

Farzana Khan

QUESTION

With the rising temperatures, frequent tripping, unscheduled outage, voltage fluctuation and inadequate water supply becoming a norm, residents are left in the lurch in the scorching heat. What should be done to meet the widening gap between the supply and demand of power and water in the business capital of Punjab?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]

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