BMC gets tough with parking lot contractors

Taking serious note of the violations committed by pay- and-park contractors, the municipal corporation will ask them to charge motorists as per the fixed rates or face action.

Taking serious note of the violations committed by pay- and-park contractors, the municipal corporation will ask them to charge motorists as per the fixed rates or face action.

HT Image

A circular to the effect would be issued to contractors who are running the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC’s) 117 parking lots, in the next two days.

If contractors are still found to be overcharging the motorists, they would lose their contract or be blacklisted.
The BMC also plans to increase the penalty charges.

This action is being taken after a team of civic officials conducted surprise checks on parking lots and found that contractors were overcharging motorists. The surprise checks were conducted following a report in the Hindustan Times on April 15 exposing how the civic parking lots attendants are charging many times more than the actual BMC tariff.

“We have found serious violations of parking policy and action will be taken against the contractors. At the same time, we will issue circulars to other contractors warning them that such violations should not happen at their lots. If violations are found, stern action such as cancelling the contract or blacklisting them will be taken,” said additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta on Tuesday.

Following the Hindustan Times report, the civic authorities conducted surprise checks at three parking lots at Dadar TT, Crawford Market and Jamnalal Bajaj Marg, Nariman Point. The three contractors will be asked to pay penalty — more than Rs 1,000 that the BMC had announced earlier.

“Considering the security deposit or premium amount, which contractors pay to the BMC, the fine will be revised. It will not be as less as Rs1,000 but an hefty amount to discourage them from repeating such actions,” said Gupta.

In case of repeat offenders, stern measures such as forfeiting the security deposit, canceling the contract or blacklisting the contractor will be taken.

“These contractors will be administering the parking lots for more than three-four months. Then, when we will start our centralised system there would be no scope for fleecing motorists. Till then we will continue to make the random visits,” Gupta added.