Live
- Govt plans to establish offshore Johns Hopkins University Campus in India
- Goa Aces clinch Indian Racing League title
- Study finds how hormone therapy can reshape the skeleton
- High-street fashion players looking at India for manufacturing: Report
- Shreyas Iyer to lead Mumbai as Prithvi Shaw returns for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
- 'Failed to resolve crisis': NPP withdraws support from BJP govt in Manipur
- Chennai: Actress Kasturi Remanded in Custody Until 29th of This Month
- Aaqib Javed likely to become Pakistan's new white-ball head coach
- BJP panel to draft poll charge sheet against AAP govt in Delhi
- Allu Arjun Thanks Fans in Patna, Teases 'Pushpa 2' Release
Open loot for decades
Highlights
RTA offices and APSRTC godowns across the city have been collecting parking fees for years now when owners come to collect their seized vehicles. While the RTA charges Rs 10 per day and the APSRTC Rs 40 per day as fees, there has been no government order till date legalising the practice
Cops seize vehicles and owners are asked to pay parking charges which is illegal
RTA offices and APSRTC godowns across the city have been collecting parking fees for years now when owners come to collect their seized vehicles. While the RTA charges Rs 10 per day and the APSRTC Rs 40 per day as fees, there has been no government order till date legalising the practice
Owners of seized vehicles are asked to pay a parking fee at RTA offices and APSRTC bus depots at the time of collecting their vehicles. While there is no government order to collect parking fee, the citizens are forced to cough up anywhere between Rs 10 and Rs 40 per day. Raghuveer, a resident of Masab Tank, says, “When I went to collect my two-wheeler from Nagole RTA office, I was asked to pay Rs 140 at Rs 10 per day. When I questioned the officials they just said that it was a rule.”
He adds, “On enquiry it was found that there is no such government order.”
While police stations do not charge parking fee, the RTA offices and APSRTC godowns charge an amount. The RTA charges Rs 10 per day and the APSRTC Rs 40 per day.
According to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the motor vehicle inspectors check vehicles for insurance, pollution, tax, permits, driving licence and overloading apart from various other parameters. Accordingly, the seized vehicles are kept at the nearby police stations, RTA offices and APSRTC bus depots.
M Dayanand, organising secretary, Telangana State Auto & Trolly Drivers Union says, “The money collected at the RTA towards parking charges goes to Transport Employees Cooperative Society. It is a government land and the society has no right to collect the fee. Also, there is no mention in the bylaws. This has been going on for years and people have been paying up money.”
On an average 100-150 different vehicles are seized in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. The number goes up by 20-30 per cent during weekends. Maximum checks take place in Bowenpally, Keesaragutta, Cherlapally and NFC areas.
A large number of vehicles are parked in the RTA offices at Nagole, Trimulgherry and Medchal. The bus depots at Kushaiguda, Uppal, Picket, Cantonment depot, Midhani, Hayatnagar, Ranigunj, Musheerabad and Rajendranagar also house vehicles and charge Rs 40 per day.
Ali Rizwan, a vegetable vendor and resident of Tukaram Gate, says, “There are times when we are unable to collect the vehicle in time. Paying Rs 40 per day is a huge amount. Sometimes the vehicles are seized for petty issues while big-wigs are let scot free who overload vehicles.”
Repeated attempts to contact transport officials proved futile. An employee on the condition of anonymity said that in most instances the president of the Transport Employees Cooperative Society is the joint transport commissioner.
Next Story
ADVERTISEMENT
