The Hindu 22.09.2010
Corporation officials detect fleecing at parking lot in city
Special Correspondent
| Surprise check conducted and lessee fined Rs. 1 lakh for the offence |
Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra sends two teams in separate cars to the parking lot
Officials notice some of those who parked their vehicles being issued unauthorised tokens
Photo: Special Arrangement
Irregularity: A token issued at the Cross-Cut Road parking lot does not mention the vehicle exit time. -
COIMBATORE: A surprise check by the Coimbatore Corporation officials late on Tuesday evening led to the detection of fleecing at its four-wheeler parking lot on Cross-Cut Road.
The check followed complaints of fleecing from the public.
The Corporation had fixed Rs.10 as the fee for three hours of parking. It is Rs.20 up to six hours.
But, persons employed by the lessee had collected Rs.20 even for 10 minutes of parking. On coming to know of the complaints around 8 p.m., Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra sent two teams in separate cars to the parking lot.
The Corporation had made it clear that tokens from a hand-held billing machine must be issued to a car on arrival. The tokens must have the time of the vehicle's entry. Only then could the duration of parking be calculated when the car was being taken out of the lot.
The first car was issued a token as per this system and charged only Rs.10.
The next team came in later in another car and watched the situation. It noticed unauthorised tokens for Rs.20 being issued to other vehicles as soon as they entered and got parked.
As per the system approved by the civic body, a token for Rs.10 should be issued on entry if the vehicle would be parked only for three hours. A sum of Rs.20 could be collected only if this time limit was exceeded.
But, the token was not being issued on entry. The staff played by the rule with some vehicles and issued the unauthorised tokens for Rs.20 to the others.
The public complained that the staff at the parking lot asked the car owners to complete their shopping and pay when they returned to take the vehicles.
But, when they returned, these people were asked to pay Rs.20 even if the vehicle had been parked only for one or two hours.
When asked why excess fee was collected, the staff replied. “We do not know when you left the car here”.
If someone insisted on paying on entry itself, the unauthorised token for Rs.20 was issued. A person who parked his car at the lot on September 10 was given a token for Rs.20. He said the token itself was issued only when a strong demand was made.
Another person said he had to pay Rs.20 for parking his car for just 10 minutes at the lot on Raja Street.
Mr.Mishra said after the surprise check on Tuesday that boards with phone numbers of officials were displayed prominently at the lot, so that people could lodge complaints about fleecing.
Option
“But, no one is using this option. People must be bold enough to lodge complaints with us. We will take action,” the Commissioner said.
“We have imposed a huge fine of Rs.1 lakh because this was the first offence of the lessee. If he does it again, his contract will be cancelled. The lessee will be blacklisted so that he cannot participate in any tenders of the Corporation,” the Commissioner said.
