Ludhiana MC finds no takers for five of city’s six parking lots

Minimum three bids were required for each lot at the e-auction, but only the one at Sarabha Nagar block-I market received four bidders.

The e-auction of city’s six parking lots turned out to be a flop show as the required number of bidders did not turn up for five of the lots awaiting allotment.

As adequate bids were received only for the Sarabha Nagar Block-I parking lot, only one lot will be auctioned on Saturday. (HT file)

As per the municipal corporation (MC) officials, at least three bidders were required for the e-auction, but the number could not be met for the parking lots at Feroze Gandhi market, BRS Nagar market, Multi-Storey parking, Bhadaur House and Model Town extension market.

While there was no bidder to take the contract of Feroze Gandhi market (reserve price Rs 80.1 lakh), BRS Nagar market (Rs 18.5 lakh) and Model Town extension market (Rs 28.3 lakh), Multi-Storey parking (Rs 80.5 lakh) got one bidder and Bhadaur House (Rs 27.5 lakh) parking lot two.

Only the Sarabha Nagar block-I market, which had the lowest reserve price of Rs 4 lakh, received the adequate four bids.

While the e-auction for the parking lots was scheduled to be held on Saturday, technical bids were opened on Thursday evening.

One of the parking contractors, Munish Shah said he did not apply for the contract as officials had been turning a deaf ear to problems being faced by contractors at the parking sites. “We have been submitting complaints regarding shopkeepers opposing the paid parking and absence of boundaries of lots, but MC has failed to provide any solution,” Shah said.

MC to manage parking lots after Oct 30

As the previous contracts of the parking lots will come to an end on October 30, MC will take over the parking lots and manage these till they are allotted again. Visitors will be charged Rs 10 for two-wheelers and Rs 20 for four-wheelers.

Contractor to be blacklisted for overcharging

Following complaints of overcharging by contractor (Arjun Yadav and Company) at the Multi-Storey parking lot near MC’s Zone-A office, MC officials have approached the finance and contracts committee to blacklist the contractor. The panel’s decision in this regard is awaited.