Parking mafia trick citizens into paying double
Parking two-wheelers on sidewalks is a common practice in Rawalpindi’s commercial areas which forces pedestrians to risk their lives by walking on busy thoroughfares. PHOTO: NNI
Arbitrary parking charges demanded by private companies in various parts of the provincial capital have drawn the ire of the citizens.
In some areas, contractors are fleecing citizens by charging double the amount notified by the government, resulting in altercations as well as several lawsuits.
According to a notification issued by the district authorities, the official fee for parking a motorcycle at a stand is Rs10, while the fee for parking a car is Rs30.
Instead of charging the designated amount, private contractors have been found overcharging citizens for allowing parking in various areas.
When contacted, a citizen, Jawad Ahmed, said, “Private contractors are resorting to profiteering under the nose of the officials. They are charging Rs50 for motorcycle parking and Rs100 for cars.”
A car owner, Mohammad Naseer, said the local government had the responsibility of providing proper vehicle parking space to people as per a judgment of Lahore High Court but the authorities were not paying attention to fulfilling the responsibility.
“They continue to ignore the companies charging us exorbitant amounts illegally,” he complained.
When asked about the public complaints about illegal parking fees, Lahore Division Commissioner and Metropolitan Corporation (MCL) Administrator Muhammad Usman said the authorities had taken up the matter and launched an operation to punish the culprits.
He said a survey had also been launched to help the authorities formulate an effective action plan against illegal parking stands in the city.
Sources within the MCL revealed that the corporation had registered more than 100 cases against the Lahore Parking Company (LPC) during the last two years.
In a latest development, the commissioner issued a notification assigning responsibilities to 13 municipal officers in nine zones to conduct a crackdown against those involved in charging illegal parking fees at both public and private parking stands.
“The enforcement inspectors of the MCL will be held accountable for overcharging in their respective zones,” he warned.
The commissioner further stated that the administration had introduced the ‘One city, one parking fee’ slogan for the ongoing campaign.
While taking action against operators of parking stands on the direction of the commissioner, fine tickets worth Rs35,000 were issued to over a dozen parking stands for fleecing citizens, along with the registration of two cases.
There are more than 300 parking stands in the nine zones of Lahore.
Of these, 205 small and large parking stands are operated by the LPC while the rest have been illegally set up in front of markets, private hospitals, banks, highways, and plazas across the city.
A citizen, complained that people were usually charged double fees after midnight near government and private hospitals and the people who questioned the mount were bullied.
Responding to the allegation, Asif Naseer, an official of a municipal authority, said an operation is ongoing to stop overcharging at parking stands on the direction of the commissioner.
“The Lahore Parking Company has also been taken into confidence. No overcharging will be allowed in the city,” he maintained.
“Those found guilty will be dealt with according to law,” the official stressed.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2021.