The Times of India 01.10.2009
Corporation to rein in parking contractors, end
CHENNAI: The corporation will take steps to prevent contractors of private parking lots from fleecing people, mayor M Subramanian told the corporation council on Wednesday.
Responding to complaints about parking lot contractors, the mayor said such contractor would be reined in. A detailed project report would be prepared to regulate contractors of parking lots.
Raising the issue, Congress councillor T Lasar, who said that a private indivicual had taken over Sowrashtra Nagar First Street, Railway Border Road and a passage leading to Nangambakkam railway station for parking two-wheelers without permission from the corporation. "Even barricades have been put up to separate vehicles and a sum of Rs 25 is collected per vehicle for a day. This kind of illegalities should immediately be put to an end," Lasar said.
The council adopted 37 resolutions after discussing topics varying from mismanagement of community halls to mosquito menace and widening of roads. PMK councillor Jamuna Kesavan said that contractors who maintain community halls have been forcing people who hire the halls to use only those vessels and chairs provided by them. They have also been mismanaging the facilities. "At Kamaraj Salai in Raja Annamalaipuram, the hall has been taken over by a private travel agent to park vehicles. Local officials could do nothing," she said.
Another contractor, under whose control the community hall on C P Ramasamy Road falls, is holding handicrafts exhibitions round the year, without making the hall available for the public. Subramanian said the local body would take over the two halls from the contractors and maintain them on its own. Also, letters will be sent to contractors of all community halls, asking them not to go beyond the terms of the contract.
Devi (CPM), Susila Gopalakrishnan (Congress) and Congress floor leader Saidai P Ravi complained about the local body's inefficiency in controlling mosquito menace.
