Thiruvananthapuram corporation cancels controversial contract

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Anticipating a serious backlash from the opposition in the council meeting scheduled on Tuesday, the city corporation on Monday cancelled the contract to rent out parking space on a PWD road to a private hotel. The contract was cancelled, citing violation of terms and conditions.
Meanwhile, it was found out that the pay-and-park system was exempted for yet another institution at Pazhavangadi in 2017. Besides, another institution functioning in the building at Pulimoodu was granted an exemption from pay-and-park on the road based on an application. However, no formal agreements were executed between the corporation and the owners of these institutions. The committee had on previous occasions placed the onus on the police to make sure that exemption was granted to these buildings.
The corporation had found itself in a spot after it signed an agreement with a hotelier to rent out parking space on the PWD road. The question arose as to how corporation could become a party to this agreement since corporation had no rights over the road.
It is learnt that corporation had in the past entertained requests from the owners of shops and commercial establishments to avail the service of traffic wardens. The payment of traffic wardens was taken care of by such shop owners who reportedly credited the amount in an account of the society of traffic wardens. The corporation mainly resorted to such a move when the income from pay-and-park system dipped, sources said.
The latest instance where corporation directly entered into an agreement with a private party, accounted for violations of various laws, former officials said.
It is in the wake of such observations that corporation cancelled the contract on Monday. The decision will be presented in the council meeting scheduled on Tuesday.
BJP has been vociferous about the lapses in renting out parking spaces on public road and has even demanded suspension of council.