Hyderabad: RTA, bus stations 'pocketing' parking fee for seized vehicles

Hyderabad: Though there is no such government order to collect parking fee from the owner of the seized vehicles while collecting their vehicles from RTA offices, the TSRTC bus depots and other parking stations in the city continue to make their own rules and collect parking fees from the commuters.

Citizens have been raising objections over the collection of parking charges as they are allegedly forced to shell out Rs 20 to Rs 50 per day depending on the vehicle that has been seized by the officials.

Anil Kant, a resident of L B Nagar said that he was asked to pay the parking charges when he went to collect his bike at the RTA office. "I was asked to pay Rs 150 at Rs 50 per day when I went to collect my two-wheeler from Nagole RTA office after three days. When I asked them why they were collecting the amount, I was forced to pay the amount without getting any reply from them."

Meanwhile, the owners whose vehicles were seized and parked during vehicle checking near police stations say that they are not charged any parking fee. After producing all the documents, the officer hands over the vehicle to them, but the RTA and bus depots are charging hefty amounts to the vehicle owners.

Telangana State Auto and Motor Vehicle Association General secretary, M Dayanand said that once the owners vehicle or pushcart is seized, it is shifted to any RTA office, bus stations and also some private parking stations who areengaged over the part of parking seized vehicles. "When the owner goes to collect the vehicle, these parking stations charge them Rs 50 for each day. When the owner fails to collect the vehicle in few days, the owner is forced to shell out hundreds of rupees just for parking," he added.

"There is no rule for charging parking fees for vehicles parked at government offices. The vehicles parked at police stations are not being charged, the why are the same rules not being implemented at RTA offices and TSRTC bus depots," he mooted.

Shaik Faisal said, "Our pushcarts are seized for petty cases. At times we are not in a position to collect them on time and are forced to pay Rs 50 per day per day which is not affordable by the daily vendor. I was asked to pay Rs 550 for not collecting my vehicle for two weeks," he added.