A steep rise in number of vehicles and limited space for parking seem to have turned the capital into a fishing pond for greedy contractors.
The lot spread in all the important and busy locations of Ranchi are taking undue advantage of the inability and lethargy of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) while looting the innocent motorists.
Most prevalent method of the free run is overseeing the parking rate fixed and instead levy arbitrarily.
The municipal body decides rate for two and four wheelers at the time of tender allotment but in practice the rates are decided by the parking lot contractors and unauthorised agents.
The amount by RMC that can be exacted as parking fees by parking lot contractors is `7 for two-wheelers and `15 for four-wheelers, but these numbers are hard to find on parking slips one receives from the parking agents. Two-wheeler riders have to shell out `10 and four-wheeler drivers have to give `20 for availing the services of parking lots.
This might not look like something to fuss about, but when seen in light of hundreds of vehicles going in and out of these parking lots every day, the depth of the total scam and suffering of common men can be realised.
“The Market section of RMC has been instructed to keep an eye out for parking lot contractors who are demanding parking fees more than the set limits from the drivers. If such cases come to our knowledge, the wrongdoers will be cautioned first. Continued exacting of increased parking fees will result in strict action,” stated RMC PRO Naresh Kumar Sinha.
On the other hand, according to the parking agents, these increased charges are just compensation for the prolonged care the vehicles receive from them.
“There is nothing wrong with demanding `20 as payment for guarding a car worth lakhs of rupees, that too for hours on end,” an agent at parking lot situated in front of Nagarmal Modi Seva Sadan Hospital in Upper Bazaar presented the frustrating answer when countered about over charging.
In some parking lots of the city, it is a daunting task in itself to find signs and boards demarcating the space.
These boards are either completely absent, like in case of the parking space in Upper Bazaar, or you will find one quoting false parking fees. And unauthorised parking agents have benefitted from this lack of demarcation.
Only in recent past, this nuisance could be brought down substantially. No parking charges have been exacted by unofficial parking agents since January, RMC authorities claim.
“Those found to have parked their vehicles within the white lines drawn on the streets are the ones fined by traffic policemen. We put an end to vehicles being parked on the street in front of GEl Church Complex. As far as unauthorised parking agents are concerned, drivers should not pay parking fees unless they receive an authorised parking slip for the transaction,” stated Traffic SP Kartik S.
But here comes another problem. “RMC does not issue the parking slips for parking lots. The contractors are responsible for getting these slips printed,” informed the RMC PRO.
The parking slip one gets at an RMC-run parking spot has its location, denomination charged (the false one), and the name of the contractor.
There is no piece of writing on these slips that link them to the urban body, making it difficult for the common man to ascertain their authenticity or know that they are overcharged.
“We have received complaints about more parking fees being exacted from drivers. We are working towards checking this practice in the city,” assured Mayor Asha lakra.