Parking Fee Ban Worries Single-Screen Theatres In Telangana

With the Telangana High Court suspending parking fees at single-screen theatres located in municipal areas across the state, theatre owners are planning to approach the court seeking removal of the stay.

“We will be requesting the honourable court to vacate the stay,” said Vijayender Reddy, president of the Telangana Controllers and Exhibitors Association. He added that theatre parking fees are nominal compared to other parking facilities. “We usually charge between Rs 20 and Rs 30 for bikes and cars. We also take care of the belongings of moviegoers by posting two security personnel to monitor hundreds of parked bikes and cars,” he said.

According to him, there are around 270 single-screen theatres in Telangana that would be affected by the decision. The parking fee collected by theatres ranges between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh per month. “We also pay salaries of up to Rs 40,000 to security staff. Sometimes, if vehicle owners claim that their mirrors were damaged or that their vehicles got minor scratches, we compensate them because moviegoers are our breadwinners. We do not make big money from parking fees,” he explained.

Another exhibitor pointed out that some multiplexes that are not located inside malls also collect parking fees. “In certain places, if you park for more than half an hour, you are charged. They may allow you to leave without paying only if they see you carrying food or snack packets purchased there. Even airports and railway stations charge parking fees ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500, even though passengers use their transport services. These charges are meant to safeguard the vehicles and ensure they remain secure,” he said.

He added that many shopping malls and restaurants offer valet services and few seek tips from owners. “In theatres, we take care of vehicles for nearly three hours during each show. Charging a small fee for this service is not unreasonable,” he noted.

Single-screen theatres are already struggling due to declining footfalls. “We had many no-shows in February and March and are hoping things will improve with upcoming big releases,” said Vijayender Reddy. “It is the abnormal ticket prices that have pushed audiences away from theatres, not the small parking fee,” he added.

To tackle the problem of dwindling audiences, single-screen owners have urged the government to allow them to reduce seating capacity in their theatres. “We plan to reduce our 1,200-seat capacity to around 400 and make structural changes that would allow us to build a small shopping complex around the theatre premises. We could rent out space for a food court, clothing showroom, or mobile shop in the remaining area to help sustain theatre operations instead of shutting down due to lack of patrons,” Reddy concluded.