Flouting Panchkula MC orders, contractors still charging parking fee

Taking note of residents’ complaints, the Panchkula MC House on Monday had waived the fee for 15 days

Even as the Panchkula municipal corporation has waived the parking fee in five sectors for 15 days, contractors at Sectors 8, 9 and 10 were found charging visitors on Wednesday.

Panchkula residents complained that the parking fee was still being charged on Wednesday. (Aashu_Salotra/Twitter)

Taking note of residents’ complaints, the MC House on Monday had waived the fee for 15 days and constituted a four-member committee, chaired by the joint commissioner, to submit a report with recommendations within 15 days.

The parking fee is charged in five sectors – 8, 9, 10, 14 and 20.

While the parking lots in Sectors 8, 9 and 10 are managed by the administration’s Child Welfare Committee (CWC), those in Sectors 14 and 20 come under MC’s ambit.

Through letters, the MC House had notified the deputy commissioner and the contractors not to charge parking fee for 15 days from Tuesday. However, people complained they were still being asked to pay.

Tweeting a picture of the parking receipt and staff at the Sector 10 parking lot, a resident, Aashish Salotra, wrote that the staffer claimed to be a supervisor, who was asked to charge the fee by the contractor.

“I got a call from the CWC office that the written order will be provided by Thursday. So, we will stop charging the fee from then,” he added.

Paid parking was first introduced in February 2020 at Sectors 8, 9 and 10 amid protests by residents. In November 2021, MC started levying the fee in Sectors 14 and 20 as well. Residents have been complaining about disparity in parking rates in different sectors and inadequate facilities, while several are of the opinion that the parking fee should be abolished altogether as most markets, where fee is levied, cater to their daily needs.