With the rising number of personal vehicles on the roads, finding a parking place in the major junctions of the city continues a headache for the owners.
Taking advantage of it, local toughs, who are in-charge of the parking lots, are fleecing the denizens while the concerned authorities are turning a blind eye to it though several incidents have been reported in the media.
While the parking attendants are charging Rs 10 to Rs 15 for a two-wheeler, the parking costs Rs 30 for a car instead of Rs 20 in several places under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). At times, the parking attendants are not giving money receipts to the vehicle owners. The illegal parking fee collection is rampant mostly during events at the places like Exhibition Ground in Unit- 3, Janata Maidan and Adivasi Ground in Unit-1.
The BMC has fixed Rs 5 as the parking fee for a two-wheeler and Rs 20 for a car. But at many places, the officials are charging Rs 10 for a bike at the parking lots without receipt. When anyone objects to the illegal parking fee, he is abused and bullied to shell out money. The officials of a hotel located near platform number 6 of the city railway station at Master Canteen Square without having permission from the BMC are allegedly charging Rs 10 to Rs 15 per bike for parking on the road. In case of parking the vehicle at other place and not keeping it near the hotel, the bike is found damaged or the tyres are found punctured after coming back from the station platform.