Paid parking facility: Bathinda municipal corporation to amend resolution

Officials said after consultation with local market associations earlier this year, the MC also passed a provision for paid roadside parking at various spots in the city and empowered private contractor to tow away cars parked in the no-parking zones

After traders and political parties opposed a Bathinda municipal corporation (MC) resolution to hire a contractor through online bidding for six-storey parking facility, the authorities have agreed to make some amendments to the resolution.

Traders and political party leaders stage a protest in Bathinda on Tuesday. (HT photo)

In June this year, the parking facility, a first-of-its-kind in Punjab, was started as a self-sustained model. The local body, with the Congress in majority, had passed a resolution to hire a contractor through online bidding to maintain the facility.

Officials said after consultation with local market associations earlier this year, the MC also passed a provision for paid roadside parking at various spots in the city and empowered private contractor to tow away cars parked in the no-parking zones.

After protests by Opposition political parties, the officials said changes would be made in the system but vehicles parked in no-parking zones would face the same fate as earlier.

On Tuesday, shopkeepers gathered in large numbers and held a protest march in Bathinda to oppose paid parking, claiming it has hurt their interests.

A protester, Sonu Maheshwari, said the staff of a private contractor hired by the MC is working arbitrarily and there are discrepancies in the new system.

“Some places near the Mall road have been declared no-parking areas, whereas parking of cars is allowed at some of the areas in the same locality. Parking should be allowed on the roadside within the yellow line. There should be a uniform system,” he said.

Various Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janta Party leaders reached the MC office to express their resentment.

On Monday, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring met municipal commissioner Rahul and demanded cancellation of the contract for multi-level parking.

The MC commissioner told reporters that the local body is open to redress the grievances of the traders this week.

Deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said he had held a detailed discussion with the mayor and commissioner for an amicable solution. “The MC is deliberating to take a final decision keeping in mind the public interest,” said the DC.