Despite parking norm, malls continue to fleece customers

HYDERABAD: Almost a month since its roll out, the adherence to the state government’s new parking fee policy appears to be abysmally poor among commercial establishments in Hyderabad. A quick scan of some malls, theatres and hospitals in the city, on Wednesday, revealed that many of them continue to illegally fleece customers and collect this fee, the revised norms notwithstanding.
As per the new policy, the first 30 minutes of parking have to be free for all. Subsequently, if a customer’s bill is higher than the parking fare, he/she will be exempted from the charge.

Despite the rule, the parking attendant at RK Cineplex in Banjara Hills confirmed that the complex is still collecting a fee from those parking their vehicle for less than 30 minutes. When this TOI correspondent visited the premises, he was initially given a parking ticket with ‘Rs 0’ printed on it. But at the time of exiting the complex, the staff asked him to return the ticket and pay the fee — of ₹30— instead.

Even at other establishments such as the Apollo Hospital, DRDO and MPM Mall, Abids, the situation was not very different. Attendants insisted on customers coughing up the parking fee and claimed that they had received no instructions about the new norm.

Not surprising then that social media platforms are flooded with complaints, most of them cinegoers who were forced to pay the charge — particularly at the city’s single screen theatres — despite them showing the movie ticket at the exit.

To air their outrage many of them were seen posting screen grabs of their parking tickets, complete with the name of the theatre, and tagging the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner, B Janardhan Reddy, and the GHMC’s official twitter handle, on their posts. Some of them even tagged the municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) minister, K T Rama Rao.

“@KTRTRS @GHMCOnline @CommissionrGHMC the govt changed the decision reg the parking fee. Today charged parking at Tivoli Cinemas Secbad. When asked then was told reimburse from GHMC (sic),” tweeted S Srinivas Rao.

Residents also called for more awareness about the new norm and said how at some places, the staffers are allowing customers to go, when confronted with the revised policy. They insisted that boards announcing the new norms must be put outside commercial establishments for the benefit of public. “Only the people aware about the parking policy are not being charged; but many people are still paying the fee as they are unaware. This has to be rectified,” said Miraza Baig, a customer at MPM Mall.