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Revised parking rates: Shop owners protest outside Ludhiana MC’s Zone A office
The protest outside Ludhiana MC’s Zone A office was called off after nearly an hour, with the mayor Balkar Sandhu’s assuring action that the authorities would look into the same
To mark their anger against the different parking rates being charged at different locations across the city, members of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) shut their shops on Mata Rani road and held a protest in front of the municipal corporation’s Zone A office.
The protest was called off after nearly an hour, with the mayor Balkar Sandhu’s assuring action that the authorities would look into the same.
Accusing the state government though, PPBM members said the state has failed to take any concrete action on different parking rates despite repeated requests from their end.
The body’s state general secretary Sunil Mehra said, “The matter has already been brought to the notice of the government but things remain unchanged. We will not open our shops till our demands are accepted.”
Speaking of the alleged harassment being meted out to the public, meanwhile, district general secretary Ayush Aggarwal said, “In MC office Zone A, vehicles parked on streets within the parking line are also forced to pay parking fee to the contractor. This clearly shows that these contractors are harassing the general public as well as traders.”
Confusing over varying rates
Notably, a few days ago the rates of monthly pass were slashed from ₹700 to ₹400 for two-wheelers and ₹1,400 to ₹8,00 for four wheelers at BRS Nagar parking lot. The contractor also decided to bring down monthly pass fare and end bi-hourly parking at selected lots.
It was also decided that the monthly pass fee at parking lots of Feroze Gandhi market and tuition market in model town extension will be reduced from ₹700 to ₹325 for two- wheelers and ₹1400 to ₹650 for four-wheelers.
Further, it was announced that bi-hourly parking will no longer be applicable at the tuition market and Sarabha Nagar main market.and the one-time parking fee at the tuition market has now been revised to ₹15 and ₹30 for two and four-wheelers, respectively. One-time parking fee at Sarabha Nagar market, meanwhile, will be ₹10 for two-wheelers and ₹20 for four-wheelers and monthly pass will be issued for ₹250 for two-wheelers and ₹500 for four-wheelers.
The varying rates, however, has resulted in confusion among city residents.
Addressing the issue, mayor Balkar Sandhu said we will check if the contract is found to be with a single contractor, the same will be cancelled.
