Battle goes on: KMC restrained from collecting charged parking fees in KDA’s domain

KDA claims right to fees collected within its jurisdiction

KARACHI: The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) has restrained the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) from collecting parking fees within its jurisdiction. The civic bodies have been at loggerheads since the KDA was revived by the Sindh government in June.

The rift between the two civic bodies started with the division of the possession of various properties between the two institutions. Earlier, staffers of the recently revived KDA started taking over the Civic Centre building, which was originally the head office of the KDA before the authority was merged with the KMC under the city district government system.

A verbal war was then waged through a series of letters to hand over a bungalow at the Central Ordinance Depot (COD) - known as the KMC's camp office - to the KDA. However, the KMC refused to do so. Just day before yesterday, KDA suspended electricity supply to the offices occupied by KMC officials at Civic Centre and reportedly confiscated their equipment. Amid this drama, the Sindh government has remained silent.



Recently, a rift over the collection of parking fees has emerged in the metropolis between both the civic agencies. KDA's director of parking, Syed Obaid Ahmed, wrote a letter to KMC's municipal commissioner Badar Jamil - a copy of which is also available with The Express Tribune - informing him that after the revival of the KDA, KMC has no right to manage charged parking in those schemes or townships that fall within KDA's jurisdiction.

"In this regard, it is advised to direct your officials not to interfere in those areas that fall in KDA's (territorial) jurisdiction as the KMC has no right to impose charged parking in KDA domain areas," the letter reads.

In a separate letter to KMC's director of charged parking, Ahmed said Civic Centre is the head office of the KDA and its surrounding areas fall within its jurisdiction. He added that KMC is illegally collecting parking fee in those limits.

"It is therefore advised to stop illegal charged parking immediately otherwise legal action shall be initiated against you," the letter warns.

When The Express Tribune contacted Ahmed, he refused to comment on the issue. However, a senior official of the KDA requesting anonymity said the KDA has land control of its five schemes - Clifton, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, North Karachi, Surjani and Korangi.

In these areas, the official said that the KDA is responsible for the maintenance work and thus will be responsible for collecting parking fee, including any kind of Municipal Utility Services Tax (MUCT).

Meanwhile, a KMC official requesting anonymity responded that the KDA's job is to develop schemes and hand them over to the KMC.

"They cannot collect any sort of utility fee," the official claimed, adding that if they are to collect the tax, then they should be responsible for the construction and repair work of the roads and street lights, not the KMC.

According to the official, the KMC earns Rs600 million annually from its 42 legal charged parking sites. "KDA's bid to take over KMC's charged parking is simply another tactic to deprive the KMC of its financial resources," the official said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2016.