Free parking here — HSVP installs boards at 12 sites

Gurgaon: The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has installed “free parking” boards at its parking sites to stop illegal collection of parking charges by the contractors. The parking contractors were allegedly collecting charges illegally even after termination of the contract. In some cases, they had also sub-leased the prime land to a third party for non-parking purposes.
HSVP had earlier leased out 12 parking sites out of which four sites are in Sector 29, four in Sector 32, two in Sector 44 and one site each in Sector 28 and 54. The authority had terminated these contracts on March 24 and claimed to have removed the contractor and reclaimed the land. However, when a TOI scribe visited these sites on May 12, contractors were found collecting parking fees illegally at all these places.
HSVP finally removed the contractors from the sites and installed a board of free parking at entry and exit points. “We have removed the contractors from the sites and free parking boards have been placed. No one will be allowed to make illegal collection,” Sanjeev Singhla, estate officer-2 of HSVP (Gurgaon) said, adding that a fresh tender will be issued for the parking contract and till then, parking will remain free at these spots.
Parking contractors, when contacted by TOI, said they have removed their men from the parking sites. “We had cleared our dues and were ready to pay further if the contract was renewed,” a contractor said.
According to an official, who wishes to be anonymous, illegal parking is rampant in the city. At many places, locals have started collecting parking amount without any contract and approval from the government authority. “In most of the places, illegal parking is being run on the government land,” said the official. HSVP gives contracts for parking at only 12 sites, but there are hundreds of parking sites in Gurgaon.