Unsmart and unorganised

The parking lots in Chandigarh were supposed to offer systematic parking system. But the dreams of smart parking eventually have turned into a ‘nightmare’.

In 2016, Chandigarh residents were told that smart parking system is being introduced. They could book a parking space well in advance before starting for their destination. They could get to know well in advance on the app itself which parking lots had space so that without wasting time to look for parking, they could directly go and park in the parking lot itself.

It is 2022 now. Nothing of the sort happened. The Mumbai-based firm that was given the contract had issues with the Municipal Corporation and left midway. The mobile app that was launched by the then UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore developed a snag and was discontinued within a few days of the launch.

Except for e-ticketing today, there is nothing smart about the parking lots. You have to enter and park at your own risk. Once you have paid the parking fee, you are all by yourself. There is no one to assist you or guide where to park. Even if someone parks wrongly behind your vehicle, there is no one to help you.

The MC has allotted 89 (32+57) paid parking areas in Zone & Zone Il on a licence fee basis through two e-tenders to Ram Sundar Prasad Singh (Zone-1) and M/s Pashchatya Entertainment (Zone-ll).

Parking charges that irk people

Never before in Chandigarh people had to pay Rs 14, Rs 7 and Rs 48. The rates were always rounded off to the nearest whole figure.

People struggling to find Rs 4 or Rs 2 to pay the parking charges isn’t the corporation’s headache.
By the time, a person gives the whole amount and is told to take the change back at the exit, there is no one to remember to return the change.

As people look for Rs 2 and Re 1 change at the entry point, there is a bumper-to-bumper traffic on the road.

Free pick and drop 

Activist Ajay Jagga had written to UT Adviser Dharam Pal stating that it is more of an entry fee rather than a parking fee. One has to pay the charges irrespective of the fact that one has to enter just to drop an elderly or someone to the nearest destination.

“Free access of pick-up and drop facility is not being declared by the contractors, resulting in unfair trade practice, causing financial loss to consumers. There should be a window of five to ten minutes allowed to every consumer,” Jagga had said.

He added, “Collection of parking fee should be made at the exit and not at the entrance. Moreover, grievance redressal mechanism must be provided by the parking contractor on the parking ticket, which is mandatory in every service.”

No follow-up action

On UT Adviser Dharam Pal’s directions, an inspection was conducted in the parking lots by the MC team last year. The Commissioner had specified at that time that “the MC won’t hesitate to take action even if despite intimation correct measures for ensuring smart parking features as per the contract are not taken”. She stated that inspection would be done regularly and penalty would also be imposed if smart features were not found.

On the directions of the Finance and Contract Committee after the UT Adviser’s intervention, the officials had conducted an inspection at parking lots.

The team had at that time found haphazard parking and that the smart app had not been launched. It was found that the LED screens displayed were not working properly. Action was taken but parking lots continue to be mismanaged.

Notice for non-payment of license fee, no action

Last year, the Municipal Corporation served a show cause notice on both contractors, Pashchataya Entertainment Pvt Ltd and Ram Sundar Prasad Singh, to pay the licence fee. But the same hadn’t been paid for almost three months from the date of notice. The Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Anindita Mitra, had asked the officials to examine if they can forfeit their security deposits. As they didn’t pay the licence fee in time, Mitra had directed the officers to hold a personal hearing.

Mitra had served a notice on both the parking contractors on November 15 last year giving them a week’s time but the payment was not received. The contractors were slapped a notice, directing them to deposit Rs 4.55 crore, failing which their contract shall be terminated.

In the notice, it was stated that Pashchataya Entertainment will have to deposit Rs 2,88,61,617 and Ram Sundar Prasad Singh will have to deposit Rs 1,67,29,691 within a week, failing which the contract will be cancelled/terminated and that they will be blacklisted and that the security amount of Rs 1,50,30,903 each will be forfeited. It was also said that in case of late payment of the licence fee, the licensee shall be liable to pay interest at 12 per cent per annum from the first day of the month, on which the payment falls due and up to the date of actual payment but not later than last working day of that month. And in case the payment is not made up to the last working day of month, the licence might be cancelled.

Promises to public fell Flat

In 2016, Chandigarh residents were told that smart parking system is being introduced. They could book a parking space well in advance before starting for their destination. They could get to know well in advance on the app itself which parking lots had space so that without wasting time to look for parking, they could directly go and park in the parking lot itself. Nothing of the sort happened yet.

What residents have to say

No smart parking facilities in the parking places are there in Chandigarh. Parking staff doesn’t care to get the vehicle parked in a proper way. They have not deputed extra staff to do this job but only to issue parking fee slips at the entrance and exit points. — Subhash Chand Gupta, Executive Member, Senior Citizens Association

I support free parking or no tag of smart City Beautiful. I feel there should be no parking fee as residents have already paid road tax for plying of vehicles. The customer pays taxes while purchasing his vehicle in market parking area, then why this fee? Before allotment of this contract, the MC was charging less, why these hiked rates? Third, if necessary, a maximum of Rs 5 be charged for half day. — Avtar Singh, president, Dhanas Milk Colony RWA

In Sector 35, vehicles, including two-wheelers, are parked in a haphazard manner. Those on duty are only concerned about charging money and issuing slips at enhanced rates. The middle class people are paying through their nose. — Jagdeep Singh Walia, member, Sangam Enclave, Sector 48

Parking spots are outsourced but due to corruption in MC, officers are unable to get proper services as per DNIT. I feel tender allotment’s main conditions must be displayed for public information so that complaints can be made on displayed numbers. — V K Nirmal, president, Sector 44 RWA

Two months back, I filed an RTI request with MC for supply of a copy of contract agreement with the parking contractor. But the Public Information Officer of MC refused the information under Section 8(1)(d) saying it will affect the commercial interest of the contractor. — B B Puri, executive member, Labour Bureau RW