Smart parking lots: Chandigarh MC finance panel rejects hike in parking fee from April 1

F&CC meeting found the contractor had not complied with the terms of the agreement.

In what will bring cheer to residents, the finance and contract committee (F&CC) of the municipal corporation on Tuesday decided against increasing the parking rates any further.

The contractor neither employed smart technology in parking lots nor paid around Rs 8 crore of the ₹15-crore contract. (HT File)

A doubling of rates was okayed by the General House of the Municipal Corporation in December 2017 first, when the rates were also made time slab-wise; and it had approved another doubling of rates in April 2018.

However, during the F&CC meeting, chaired by mayor Davesh Moudgil, the panel found the contractor — Arya Toll Infra — has not complied with the pact terms. Neither had they employed smart technology in the parking lots nor paid around Rs 8 crore of the Rs 15 crore contract. As such, there was no question of another hike.

Moudgil said, “We have given the contractor time till April 15 to clear all his dues and comply with the terms and conditions of the memorandum of understanding. MC additional commissioner Tejdeep Singh Saini will visit the lots and prepare a detailed report on compliance of the terms and conditions.”

“There have been several complaints of haphazard parking, overcharging, misbehaviour of staff, bouncers manning the lots, which will not be allowed. Action will be initiated against the contractor, if he fails to comply with the terms,” he added.

On the agenda regarding taxi stands, the committee members were of the view that a meeting of all taxi stand owners may be called and their demands be heard on the grounds of natural justice. Thereafter, an agenda consisting of different revenue models be brought to the forthcoming General House meeting.

MC commissioner Jitender Yadav; other members of the committee — Anil Kumar Dubey, Farmila, Gurbax Rawat, Heera Negi, Raj Bala Malik; MC additional commissioner Tejdeep Singh Saini, chief engineer Manoj Bansal and other senior officers of the MC attended the meeting.