Option to drop passengers without paying not displayed at Chandigarh parking lots
Display boards have little to no mention of the mandatory 10-minute parking without charges that the MC House cleared last year
The contractors of the newly allotted paid parking lots appeared to have violated the rules by not prominently displaying the information regarding vehicles being allowed to park for 10 minutes for free for dropping and picking up passengers.
The parking rate boards displayed at several lots across the city have no mention of the mandatory 10-minute free pick and drop that the municipal corporation (MC) general House had cleared last year and was to be implemented with the commencement of the new contract from February 1.
HT visited the Sector 22 parking lot opposite Sector 35 and found no mention of the pick and drop provision on the rate list displayed at the entrance. The parking lot in Sector 17, the key commercial market, also had the same issue. On the other hand, in the lots in Sectors 7 and 26, the provision was mentioned in letters too small to be seen.
Slab-wise parking rates at the lots are to be introduced subject to the fulfilment of smart parking facilities, for which the contractors still have 60 days left.
A commuter, Rashmi Singh, at the Sector 22 parking lot, said, ”The public is not aware of the 10-minute parking fee exemption due to lack of information at the lots. The information regarding the mandatory facility should be prominently displayed along with the rate list so that people can avail of it. Also, there should a separate ticket for pick and drop system just like at the airports.”
Commuters also complained of mismanagement at the parking lots.
Adarsh Sharma, who was at the Sector 26 lot, said, “There is hardly any staff inside the parking lots to help commuters park their vehicles. The staff is not even dressed in uniforms.”
The MC has allotted 89 paid parking lots in two zones.
Ram Sundar Prashad Singh, in-charge of zone 1 in which the Sector 26 parking lot falls, said, “I will get the rate list checked and ensure that the pick and drop provision is mentioned prominently.”
Vikas Kumar of Pashchatya Entertainment Private Limited, which manages zone 2 including the Sectors 22 and 17 lots, could not be reached for comments.
As checked, there are still no dedicated teams that regularly visit the parking lots and check such violations of the terms and conditions of the agreement.
When contacted, MC special secretary Sanjay Jha, who heads the parking branch, said he will look into the matter.
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