Fleecing by parking mafia at bus stations

Fleecing by parking mafia at bus stations
x
Highlights

In what appears to be the consequence of the tightening grip of ‘mafia’ over parking lots at bus stations, contractors and their henchmen fleece vehicle owners by charging them at exorbitant rates, throwing all norms, rules and directives to the wind.

Hyderabad: In what appears to be the consequence of the tightening grip of ‘mafia’ over parking lots at bus stations, contractors and their henchmen fleece vehicle owners by charging them at exorbitant rates, throwing all norms, rules and directives to the wind.

Today parking a vehicle at either Jubilee Bus Station or Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station would mean emptying one’s pockets due to the whimsical rules enforced by unscrupulous contractors who have no fear of the authorities whatsoever.

The rate fixed for parking vehicles is Rs 5 for an hour, Rs 10 for two hours, Rs 20 for 24 hours. But the prescribed rate card is never followed by the arrogant contractors.

One has to shell down a minimum of Rs 50 to park his or her vehicle every day at these bus stations. If people are reluctant to pay up the money demanded, the parking lot contractors and their staffers invariably pick up a quarrel with them and humiliate them.

Although the rates charged are supposed to be printed on the slips given by the contractors, none of them follows the rule.

The actual parking fee is collected depending on the appearance of the vehicle rider. That is, the more posh he or she is; the greater is the amount extracted from them.

According to Jagadish, a vehicle rider, the contractor collects anywhere between Rs 200 and Rs 300 (five times higher than the stipulated Rs 40), for parking the vehicle for two days.

According to Easwar, another victim, lodging complaints with the police or the RTC security authorities would be of no use.

Kiran, a commuter, said that the parking contractors were not hesitating to usurp roads and footpaths by parking the vehicles haphazardly, causing obstructions to the movement of RTC buses and other vehicles.

When contacted, Jubilee Bus Station Manager Singh claimed that no complaints had been received in this regard.

Sudhakar, a commuter, demanded the RTC management to entrust the parking to the GHMC, instead of private contractors, to avoid the irregularities.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS