Parking stands set own rates

Contractor says he pays cops, inspectors Rs6,000 a month to ignore irregularities.

LAHORE:

The city’s parking stands, including one in Town Hall, are charging rates of their own design rather than the prices prescribed by the city district government, usually charging citizens twice the sanctioned rate, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The city government says parking stands must charge cars at Rs10 per car per hour for the first three hours, and Rs5 per hour after that; and charge bikes at Rs 5 per hour. However, parking stands generally charge a flat rate of Rs20 per car and Rs10 per bike.

Boards advertising the prescribed rates used to be displayed around the city, but most have been removed or painted over.

Sources said that the contractors paid off local police and city government officials responsible for public facilities so they could continue charging the higher rates. They also turn a blind eye when they park more vehicles than their capacity, taking up space on the roads.

Sabir Jutt, a sub-contractor for parking stands on The Mall, at Pace Gulberg and elsewhere in the city, said that he paid at least Rs6,000 per month to police personnel and city government officials to look the other way. He said that the government was to blame for the situation because their rates were “unacceptable”.  “Which bike owner is going to part with Rs50 to park their vehicle for a day? We will end up with fights. We have repeatedly requested the government to establish fair rates,” he said.

Another contractor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the government had no intention to stop “over-charging” since “influential people are involved”.

An official said that the city government had issued permits to some 350 parking stands and 225 were currently operational.

District Officer (Public Facilities) Qamar conceded that over-charging at parking stands was widespread but insisted that his department was trying to tackle the problem. He said that in December alone, the department had lodged 40 FIRs against parking stands for overcharging. “Political pressure is a part of the problem,” he said.

He said parking stands often printed two types of tickets, one with the official rate and one with the rate that they actually charge. “They trick our inspectors by showing them the official rate ticket receipts,” he said.

Qamar said that the government was working on a project to introduce hand-held digital devices at parking stands to reduce the opportunity for fraud. The Punjab government has signed a memorandum of understanding with a Turkish company in this regard. A local company is currently operating nine parking stands with such devices. “The Turkish will visit Lahore soon to do a cost analysis and provide equipment,” he added.

Amin, a salesman and motorcyclist, said all the parking stands in the city charged Rs10 per motorbike and the government should take action to ensure they only charge the prescribed rates.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2011.