Festive fervour ups parking fee by 16 times at T Nagar
Pradeep Kumar| TNN | Updated: Oct 16, 2017, 00:42 IST
Chennai: As lakhs descended on T Nagar for last-minute Diwali shopping giving the police personnel a tough time, attendants at Greater Chennai Corporation's parking lot had it easy taking car owners for a ride.
While the police tried to rein in the overflowing crowd on Ranganathan Street literally by a single rope, parking lot attendants had a free run, charging exorbitant fees, up to 16 times the rate prescribed by the civic body.
Restrictions on vehicle movement and parking brought a huge number of cars towards the parking lot near Panagal Park. While the area is managed by Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation (Texco), the agency's attendant was nowhere to be seen. Instead, unidentified men supervised operations. They issued no receipts and marked a sign on windshields of cars whose owners paid the fee.
When Solaiyappan from Ambattur drove into the parking lot, the attendant quoted `80 for two hours which was readily paid. "I did not know that the charge was `5. I had come for shopping and couldn't find a spot to park," Solaiyappan said.
The corporation has fixed `5 as parking fee for six hours for cars and the rate goes up to `20 for the whole day.
Venkatesh, a resident of Iyyappanthangal, who had also parked his car at the same spot, suggested that the attendant seemed to be charging arbitrarily. "I was asked to pay `60 for two hours," he said.
When TOI approached the attendant, a man in Texco's uniform came to his rescue. Identifying himself as R Mukundan, he said he was the "Texco-appointed" parking attendant and showed an identity card. When asked who the other man was, Mukundan said he was a driver who was helping him. "He is looking to make some extra money too," he said.
Zonal officer Kodambakkam (zone 10) S Natarajan said Texco's contract had expired and the attendant was illegally collecting the fees. However, he seemed unaware that the special officer's council in August had extended the parking contract with Texco until October-end. "Texco has ensured us annual payment of at least `50 lakh. Why always find fault with government agencies?" said a revenue department official.
A Texco official said overcharging attendants were seldom punished because the charges could not be proven. "Some are suspended when a serious complaint is received. But we cannot prove the charges because there is no transaction receipt," the official said.
Pradeep Kumar| TNN | Updated: Oct 16, 2017, 00:42 IST
Chennai: As lakhs descended on T Nagar for last-minute Diwali shopping giving the police personnel a tough time, attendants at Greater Chennai Corporation's parking lot had it easy taking car owners for a ride.
While the police tried to rein in the overflowing crowd on Ranganathan Street literally by a single rope, parking lot attendants had a free run, charging exorbitant fees, up to 16 times the rate prescribed by the civic body.
Restrictions on vehicle movement and parking brought a huge number of cars towards the parking lot near Panagal Park. While the area is managed by Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation (Texco), the agency's attendant was nowhere to be seen. Instead, unidentified men supervised operations. They issued no receipts and marked a sign on windshields of cars whose owners paid the fee.
When Solaiyappan from Ambattur drove into the parking lot, the attendant quoted `80 for two hours which was readily paid. "I did not know that the charge was `5. I had come for shopping and couldn't find a spot to park," Solaiyappan said.
The corporation has fixed `5 as parking fee for six hours for cars and the rate goes up to `20 for the whole day.
Venkatesh, a resident of Iyyappanthangal, who had also parked his car at the same spot, suggested that the attendant seemed to be charging arbitrarily. "I was asked to pay `60 for two hours," he said.
When TOI approached the attendant, a man in Texco's uniform came to his rescue. Identifying himself as R Mukundan, he said he was the "Texco-appointed" parking attendant and showed an identity card. When asked who the other man was, Mukundan said he was a driver who was helping him. "He is looking to make some extra money too," he said.
Zonal officer Kodambakkam (zone 10) S Natarajan said Texco's contract had expired and the attendant was illegally collecting the fees. However, he seemed unaware that the special officer's council in August had extended the parking contract with Texco until October-end. "Texco has ensured us annual payment of at least `50 lakh. Why always find fault with government agencies?" said a revenue department official.
A Texco official said overcharging attendants were seldom punished because the charges could not be proven. "Some are suspended when a serious complaint is received. But we cannot prove the charges because there is no transaction receipt," the official said.
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