Citizens allege overcharging at parking lots, demand contractor and PMC accountability

After videos of parking lots charging Punekars thrice the actual amount recently went viral on social media, citizens have demanded that the parking lots prominently display rate charts at the entrance apart from issuing receipts for the amounts charged.

As per Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) rules, parking charges are ₹3 per hour for two-wheelers and ₹14 per hour for four-wheelers. The civic body has 30 parking lots which have been leased to contractors after tenders were issued for the same and the required bidding process was completed. The parking lots have been graded as A, B and C with A standing for parking lots located in the suburbs, B standing for parking lots located in moderately crowded areas, and C standing for parking lots located in heavily crowded market areas (hubs).

In the Mandai area, the Satish Sheth Misal, Hutatma Babu Genu and Shivajirao Krushnarao Adhav (Hamalwada) parking lots come under the C category. Users have complained of overcharging at these parking lots apart from the lack of rate charts till recently. The area witnesses very high footfalls as it is a business hub and the centre of temple activities for many devotees. Citizens claim that while the PMC demands proof against contractors, most citizens come with families in tow and therefore, mutely pay up the extra costs and are not given receipts for the same. The contractors take advantage of their vulnerable position.

Mangesh Thorat, who regularly parks his vehicle at parking lots in Mandai, said, “It was only after the citizens’ intervention and social media reels that the PMC administration got its act together and pulled up the contractors for not displaying parking rate charts. Those using the pay and park facilities were not being issued receipts by the contractors. We demand that flying squads are formed to raid the parking lots and catch the wrongdoings. At the same time, good quality CCTV infrastructure must be set up to maintain vigil.”

Aggrieved citizens can register their complaints at the PMC WhatsApp number 9665077174. Executive engineer Sandeep Patil said, “We will take strict action if citizens complain about not being given receipts by the pay and park contractors. We will ensure that the boards displaying the rates are put up at the entrance of the parking lots. The citizens can directly get in touch with the officials in-charge.”

Prominent civil rights activist Jaymala Dhankikar said that the commercialisation of public spaces has become the norm for the PMC. “Once the parking lots are allotted, the nexus ensures that they fleece common citizens. We need very strict action against PMC officials first as they are completely negligent about the rights of citizens, and have no will to keep the contractors on a tight leash,” she said.