March 01, 2009
By Sajid Bashir:
Almost all the parking stands across the city have doubled the parking fees for all kinds of vehicles while the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) holds the Town Administrations responsible for the mess.
According to CDGL rules, a parking stand can only charge Rs 10 for a car, Rs 5 for a motorcycle and Rs 3 for a cycle whereas most of the parking stands are charging more than these prescribed rates. This is very disturbing for people. There are only 49 approved motorcycle and car parking stands on 32 major city roads by the City District Government (CDG) Public Facilities department, while 300 parking stands are operating illegally with the 'connivance' of the officials of the said department.
The problem of overcharging at parking stands is not a new phenomenon and a large number of public complaints against such contractors who are operating these parking stands illegally, are awaiting action from the CDGL. This has resulted in parking at places which result in traffic mess on these roads.
All of these parking stands are situated alongside the main roads covering 20 to 30 feet area of the roads, which has caused terrible traffic mess. Almost all the main roads such as The Mall, Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, Egerton Road, Mcleod Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Davis Road, Multan Road etc have become a hub of legal and illegal parking stands. Most of these stands have encroached upon the service lanes besides the main roads.
It is pertinent to mention here that most of the restaurants, hotels, private hospitals, schools and colleges, banks, multi nationals and commercial buildings have also granted parking stand contracts outside their premises. While the CDGL rules say the commercial ventures can establish a parking stand, they can not charge.
A shopkeeper at the Hall Road Market said traffic in the area remain locked all day due to extraordinary extension of the parking stands established on both sides of the main road at the market's entrance. No action has been taken by the CDGL or the concerned town administration despite repeated complaints. The shopkeeper asks, "Are the contractors so influential?"
The Neela Gumbad Market is a clear example of the fact. Many parking stand owners are charging Rs 20 per car and Rs 10 per motorcycle. A parking stand outside Lahore High Court (LHC) is also charging Rs 10 for a motorcycle and Rs 20 for a car. "I went to LHC with a friend for some official work and on return the parking stand staff charged me Rs 20. When I protested the parking stand staff said the CDGL has increased the rates at which parking contracts are awarded so I have to pay him Rs. 20, said Wajih Ahmad, a resident of New Chauburji.
"This is a mafia and instead of facilitating commuters these stands are minting huge money from them," said Zahid Bashir, a resident of Johar Town. He had gone for shopping at Panorama Centre and had parked his car with his laptop in it in the parking stand nearby. When he returned, his laptop was missing. The parking stand staff said they were not responsible for that and advised him to go to police. He said if they are not responsible for taking care of the vehicles then what for do they charge Rs 20 per car.
The City District Government should install its own signboards displaying the rates along with the phone numbers of Public Facilities Officers on its parking stands to discourage overcharging by
contractors, said Ali Gul, a student of King Edward Medical University.
Afraz Ahmed, District Officer (Public Facilities) while talking to TNS on the issue, said the CDGL is taking strict and immediate measure to stop overcharging by the contractors to facilitate the commuters. He said he had taken the charge of the seat one month back and since then a number of cases have been registered against such contractors. He said the CDGL had repeatedly informed the town administrations about the issue.
Answering a question about parking stands established by private parties outside their premises, a hotel/restaurant, an office and a hospital, he said they can establish a parking stand but can not
charge. He said the general public can lodge complaint of overcharging with him and he will take immediate action against the responsible person.
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