Private workers handling parking lots in Ludhiana despite end of agreement

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, September 14

Even three days after ending of the agreement, staff of private contractors are openly handling different parking lots and still charging fees from visitors in an illegal manner under the nose of some officials of the MC’s tehbazari branch. The visitors complained of overcharging too. Such illegal practices in broad daylight expose the years’ old nexus at the parking lots.

On Wednesday, staff of a private contractor, whose agreement with the Municipal Corporation has already ended on September 11, were seen charging fees illegally from visitors at Bhadaur House and AC Market parking lots. These men, however, claimed that MC officials deployed them on daily wages at the lots after September 11. Even, these staff had official parking fee slips of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, in their possession, raising many eyebrows. Questions are also being raised who provided them the parking fee slips of the MC.

A visitor, who was unaware of the actual car parking fee at the Bhadaur House parking lot, said he had parked his car around 4 am today.

He alleged that he was asked to pay Rs 150 as car parking charges today but no fee slip of the same amount was issued to him. He said: “I was always charged Rs 100 for car parking in the past but I was asked to pay Rs 150 today. I had no idea about the actual fee for parking a car.”

Notably, the car parking fee is just Rs 20 but fee boards were earlier removed from the Bhadaur House market and these were not reinstalled by the civic body despite complaints of overcharging.

Afterwards, when The Tribune team visited the spot, a man, Sunil, who claimed to be an employee of the MC, and was accompanied by an employee of a contractor, issued a parking fee ticket of Rs 20 to the visitor. Denying the allegations, Sunil, however, said he had not demanded Rs 150 from anyone.

Meanwhile, the staff of contractors, with or without issuing parking tickets, kept charging fees from the visitors at Bhadaur House and AC market parking lots. On being asked, they claimed that they had been deployed to handle the lots on daily wages and fee slips had been provided by corporation officials.

Sources said a private contractor had handed over the parking lots of Bhadaur House and AC market to a kin of former MC employee in the past. Hence, violations were often ignored at these lots.

Tehbazari inspector Ajay claimed that private staff had been deployed for a few days only to help the MC employees to identify vehicles of shopkeepers. He said parking rates would be displayed soon.

On the other hand, MC’s Tehbazari Branch in-charge Tejinderpal Singh Panchhi said no private staff had been deployed by the MC at any parking lot in the city after the agreement between contractors and the MC ended. Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu said the civic body had not deployed private staff to look after the lots. The police would be deployed to keep check on the lots, he said.Meanwhile, MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal said she would look into the matter.

Pvt staff deployed for few days only: official

Tehbazari inspector Ajay claimed that private staff had been deployed for a few days only to help civic body employees to identify vehicles of shopkeepers. He said parking rates would be displayed soon.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.