Hyderabad: Nowhere in the twin cities are contractors charging the standard government-approved fee for parking. On Mahatma Gandhi Road, the charge for a four-wheeler is Rs 40 an hour while at Park Lane, which is part of the same road, it is Rs 20. Every August, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation selects new contractors for the job, but it does not monitor how they operate, and how much they charge.
Secunderabad has the maximum number of parking lots, around 25. Charges here differ from those at Khairatabad, Nampally, Kacheguda, Panjagutta, or Ameerpet, all of which have different fees.
Charges again vary at cinema theatres, malls, and major bus stations. There are no boards displayed the designated parking rate. In 2012, the GHMC commissioner approved Rs 20 for four-wheelers and Rs 10 for two-wheelers for the first two hours. This tariff is now in force only at a few places.
Dr. G.V Rao, a forensic expert said, “On Rashtapati Road, if you park in one lane they charge Rs 10 an hour for a car and in the opposite lane the fee is Rs 20 per hour. The correct amount is Rs 10 for an hour. Many are ignorant of standard rates. The fee collectors are goons, and people are scared of questioning them. At many places, the board reads ‘GHMC paid parking for 2 & 4 wheelers’ but the rates have been erased.”
Feroz Khan, a frequent traveller, points out that the receipt does not have exact parking timings or the name of the contractor. “It is mostly torn and stuck on the vehicle, and 95 per cent of the people don’t check before paying. At times the vehicle number is half printed. By now the contractors must have earned double what they have quoted in the tenders,” he said.
The municipal corporation must put up boards stating that the site officially belongs to the GHMC, and install its own parking meters so that the correct time and rate is recorded. It must also monitor contractors every month. The parking fee must be clearly indicated at every location to stop the fleecing of the public.
No regular checks on parking charges
In 2013, the DC of Circle 10 booked a case against a contractor near GVK Mall for charging Rs 50 an hour for a four wheeler. Another contractor was terminated for charging double at Golconda Fort. However, since then no cases have been booked, and no inspections done. Tenders are called every July since parking contracts are decided in August. Bids start from Rs 7 lakh and go up to Rs 15 lakh an year.
Central Zone commissioner D. Ronald Rose said, “Many contractors were found charging for areas which do not come under paid parking. This year, the contractors will be told to mark the parking area, issue receipts with the contractor’s name and to display boards showing the fee.
