The parking fee collectors are fleecing people by overcharging for parking their vehicles in several paid parking lots in Panjim city.
When Herald visited the pay parking hub at the Kadamba Bus Terminal, it was discovered that the parking fee collectors are not charging the vehicles as per the amount of time the vehicle is parked. It was also revealed that the parking personnel only have slips of Rs 10 and informed that their contractors have only given them Rs-10 slips.
At the Kadamba Bus Terminal in Panjim, the fee collectors present at the parking area directly charge flat Rs 10 even for a half-day parking, wherein according to the law it is Rs 5 for half a day. The same procedure was observed at the EDC Patto Plaza parking.
It was also revealed that commuters, who park their vehicles at the KTC Terminal in Panjim, are not aware of the parking rates as the parking fee boards have either been removed or the rates have been scrapped off, making it difficult for the public to read the actual fees to be charged.
Many of the commuters, who park their bikes or car at the KTC bus terminal, told Herald that they were unaware that the rate for half-day parking is Rs 5 only, as the fee collectors always issue them a slip and collect Rs 10 for parking.
“I did not know that the parking rate is Rs 5 until you told me. In fact, on the slip, it was mentioned Rs 10, so I paid the amount,” said Nilesh, who parks his bike at the KTC bus terminal.
“The actual rates for parking at KTC is Rs 5 for bike/car for half-day and Rs 10 for bike/car for a full day but the fee collectors charge a flat Rs 10 without asking the commuters, whether they will be parking for half or full day,” said Nikhil Chari.
“Many a time the fee collectors refuse to give slips to commuters citing reasons that there are no slips left with them,” said Ronil D’Cruz.
Arturo D’Souza, a resident of Santa Cruz, has filed a complaint at the Panjim police station against the KTC in-charge and Pay parking contractor Sajjad Sheikh regarding the extra charging of parking fees. He has also stated that he has recorded a statement of the fee collector, in which he has admitted that they are instructed by the contractor to collect Rs 10 from everyone and also further admitted that Rs 5 denomination slips are not given to them.
When confronted about this issue, contractor Sajjad Sheikh said that “all slips are given on daily basis to the fee collectors, but the fee collectors want to get extra bonus and that is the reason they charge flat Rs 10 as parking fees and all information provided by the fee collectors is completely baseless.”
“Since the rates are not mentioned I refused to pay to the fee collector. Since I did not pay, the fee collector threatened to remove my bike forcibly,” said Nameshwar Gaonkar.
“A rough calculation of the money overcharged is mind boggling. For example if 300 two-wheelers are parked for half a day and half of them are over charged, it amounts to Rs 22,500 (150x30x5=22500) per month, which is an open scam and the contractor earns Rs 270,000 extra per year,” says Mukundraj Mudras.
“I was completely unaware of this situation and will install a new board with the parking rates, which will help commuters know the exact rates for parking,” said Vengurlekar, KTC bus stand in-charge.
