Parking contract scrapped, mystery men charging visitors at Ludhiana’s Feroze Gandhi market

A visit to the parking lot on Friday revealed that some men were charging Rs 20 for four-wheelers and Rs 10 for two-wheelers without issuing any parking slip

While the municipal corporation has scrapped the contract for the Feroze Gandhi market parking lot, it has not deputed its staff at the site, allowing visitors to be illegally charged for parking.

An unauthorised man charging parking fee from customers at Feroze Gandhi market in Ludhiana on Friday. (Gurpreet SIngh/HT)

Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu had cancelled the agreement on Wednesday after the contractor failed to take possession of the parking lot since June.

A visit to the parking lot on Friday revealed that some men were charging Rs 20 for four-wheelers and Rs 10 for two-wheelers without issuing any parking slip.

When contacted, MC secretary Neeraj Jain said, “We have not received any complaint regarding this, but I will direct the staff to inspect the site. MC is working to float fresh tenders for e-auction of the parking lot.”

One of the visitors to the market, Daljit Singh said, “I parked my car here to visit the excise and taxation department. On my return, a man asked me to pay Rs 20, but left when I asked for a receipt. The civic body needs to check this, as hundreds of people visit the market on a daily basis.”

After the corporation removed its staff from the market in July, the market association and shopkeepers had deputed their own staff for managing the lots. The association members however said no fee was being charged by their staff.

Chairman of the Feroze Gandhi Market Association, Col Harjap Singh (retd) said, “MC has also abandoned the parking lot after the contractor failed to take its possession. Meanwhile, some miscreants have started fleecing visitors. We have been demanding that MC deploy its own staff in absence of a contractor, as mismanagement at the parking lot results in chaos. But, the officials have failed to respond.”