Parking fee being charged even after expiry of contract

Police tow away cars parked away from the charged-parking area

HYDRABAD:

Even after the expiry of the official contracts of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC), money is being collected from citizens on a large scale in the name of parking fees with the help of private individuals.

On one hand, officers and staff of the tax department did not inform the Mayor Kashif Shoro about the situation, while on the other hand, these officers have remained silent, effectively participating in the looting of citizens.

Sources said that extortion is being collected under the guise of parking fees, and citizens who refuse to pay are having their motorcycles and cars forcibly shifted to police stations by the traffic police. Extra money is then collected from them, exacerbating the problems faced by citizens.

According to careful estimates, more than Rs200,000 is being unlawfully collected from citizens every day in the name of parking fees across different places, intersections, and public areas of the city, particularly in Latifabad. Despite the presence of elected local representatives, influential officers are acting in their own self-interest. The citizens of Hyderabad are already concerned about the horrendous traffic situation, and now their troubles are further compounded by the establishment of illegal parking lots. Officers and staff of the tax department in HMC have chosen to remain silent on the matter. Only a notice has been issued by the authorities on social media, advising the public not to pay any form of parking fees to anyone.

However, despite the notice issued by HMC, parking fees continue to be collected from citizens in several areas of the city, including both sides of Auto Bhan Road, Latifabad, the 8-number mobile market, the cloth market, various shopping marts, Station Road, Reshim Bazar, Koh Noor Chowk, various marriage halls, and other locations. Currently, car parking is being charged at Rs50 and motorcycle parking at Rs20. The receipts given to citizens for parking fees bear the HMC logo, which is also an illegal practice.

These private individuals who collect extortion under the pretense of parking fees subject those who refuse to pay to various forms of harassment. Parking lot staff do not hesitate to argue with citizens, even those who are accompanied by their families. Often, officers and staff from the municipality's tax department can be seen standing alongside these private individuals.

Sources indicate that the officers and staff of the tax department have informed Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Shoro that the parking contracts expired on June 30. However, despite the expiration of these contracts, private individuals continue to engage in extortion under the name of parking.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2023.