THE LUCKNOW Municipal Corporation (LMC) is thinking over a partial rollback in the proposed hike in parking charges after a protest demonstration staged by Aminabad & Hazratganj traders on Tuesday. Sources told HT Lucknow Live, the LMC had, because of the pressure, stalled the process of tenders for the 60 parking lots in the city and held back the notification for the tehbazari contracts at 53 sites in Lucknow.
Aminabad Traders’ Association general secretary Susheel Gurnani and Adarsh Vyapar Mandal president Sanjay Gupta had met District Magistrate RN Tripathi to discuss the issue on Tuesday. They said Tripathi had assured them a positive outlook. Acting Municipal Commissioner Santosh Kumar, on his part said, “Why are you all making parking such an important issue? People come to us with their problems like construction of roads, installation of street-lights and they want these problems solved immediately.
They never bother about from where we would arrange money. We have hiked parking rates to arrange money for development work.” He denied any proposal to roll back the hike recommendation adding that, “If the traders want to negotiate, they are welcome.
We will explain to them the reason for the hike,” said Kumar. Also, referring to the notices to be sent to the schools for arranging parking inside their premises, the AMC said the process had been initiated. Meanwhile, former executive panel member of the LMC, Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’, whose term expired on February 13, opposed the proposed hike in parking charges. He rubbished Municipal Commissioner’s claims that the LMC executive committee, at a meeting on April 9, 2005, had proposed a steep hike in parking charges.
“I have the minutes of the meeting and affirm that we never proposed a hike in parking rates from Rs 3 and 5 to Rs 10 and Rs 20 for two- and four-wheelers.
{{/usCountry}}“I have the minutes of the meeting and affirm that we never proposed a hike in parking rates from Rs 3 and 5 to Rs 10 and Rs 20 for two- and four-wheelers.
{{/usCountry}}Neither did we single out any area for ‘special treatment’. The committee only recommended a nominal hike from Rs 3 to Rs 5 and from Rs 5 to Rs 10,” said Reshu. The traders, on their part, are adamant that the proposed hike be cancelled.