The levying of parking fee in markets by the capital’s civic agency recently has outraged traders as well as visitors. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID
The levying of parking fee in markets by the capital’s civic agency recently has outraged traders as well as visitors.
Traders have asked the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to reconsider its decision of colleting Rs20 ‘fee’ from people visiting markets.
The civic authorities, however, justified the move as a ‘security measure’ to curb vehicle theft incidents.
The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) said in a press statement that the fee was tantamount to levying a ‘new tax’ and against the ‘interest’ of the business community.
Acting president Khalid Chaudhry after chairing a meeting of local traders at ICCI office on Friday said that representatives of all market associations would be invited to a meeting on November 12 to take future line of action on the issue.
On the other hand, a CDA official justified the decision claiming that the parking fee would help meet security concerns of people visiting markets.
“It’s not just a parking fee, but a comprehensive security and parking management system,” said Director Municipal Administration Hamza Shafqat.
He said that theft of vehicles from markets has become a common occurrence. “By paying Rs20 for a parked vehicle, the visitor will be able to hold the contractor firm and the CDA responsible in case his vehicle is damaged or stolen from the parking lot,” the official said.
He described the traders concerns a ‘misconception’, as according to him, the parking fee would be charged from people visiting markets and not from the traders.
However, Chaudhry said that the parking fee has created a law and order situation in the Super Market and CDA has registered a ‘fake’ FIR against traders.
He said that the CDA should take all stakeholders into confidence before imposing any new tax. “No new tax should be imposed in the capital without the approval of the National Assembly,” Chaudhry contended.
The CDA had identified around 200 sites across the capital to convert them into paid parking lots to generate Rs200 million annually and contracted the collection of fees to private firms.
Last Tuesday, traders at the Super Market allegedly thrashed and tortured employees of the firm.
Consequently, the CDA and the firm lodged a complaint against some traders.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2013.
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