Parking fees at three prominent locations in south Bengaluru have come down, thanks to activists busting a racket.
The Jayanagar police have filed an FIR against a BBMP assistant revenue officer and parking attendants who were charging four times the approved fee at the Jayanagar shopping complex.
On December 29, members of the Karnataka Rashtra Samithi (KRS) went live on social media and caught the attendants collecting Rs 20 an hour for two-wheelers, when the approved rate is Rs 5, and Rs 80 an hour for four-wheelers, as against the approved rate of Rs 20.
Manjunatha S, president (Bengaluru City) of the Karnataka Rashtra Samithi, who was a part of the protest and expose, told Metrolife, “The contracts come with clear details about how much should be charged per hour, per day and per month, but the parking attendants at the Jayanagar complex were charging much more.”
After the protests, a BBMP sign board has appeared prominently, specifying the parking fee.
Ravi Krishna Reddy, writer and state president of the Karnataka Rashtra Samithi, says the attendants were not even handing out receipts for the money paid for parking.
“They weren’t mentioning the in and out time, and they were charging exorbitantly. And the BBMP was giving the contract to the same person over the years. Even after the contract expired, fresh tenders were not called,” he says. Municipal councillors are involved in giving out contracts and they pocket a lion’s share of the illegal money from parking, he alleges.
“Across the state, for various reasons, about 20 inspectors, constables and circle inspectors have been suspended in the last six months after we exposed their corrupt practices,” he says.
Behind the scenes
V R Marathe, state secretary, Lanchamukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike, says, “At least 4,000 vehicles park at Jayanagar complex every day. In 2017-18, the daily parking remittance to the BBMP was just Rs 1,000 a day,” he says.
When activists protested in 2018, the contract was suspended for six months. The terms were changed, and the daily remittance was increased to Rs 6,500 in August 2019. In May 2020, the BBMP brought down the remittance to Rs 3,500, citing the pandemic.
The activists have exposed a parking racket at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research as well.
The attendants were collecting an hourly fee of Rs 20 for two-wheelers and Rs 80 for four-wheelers. The rates have now come down to Rs 10 for two wheelers and Rs 20 for cars.
Dr C N Manjunath, director, says the hospital outsourced the parking on September 1. “The parking rates for a day have been fixed at Rs 20 for cars, Rs 15 for three wheelers, and Rs 10 for two wheelers. Cycles can be parked free of cost,” he says.
A board has come up with the rates now. In a letter addressed to new parking contractor, Dr Manjunath states that parking receipts must contain GST number, vehicle number, time of entry and exit and approved parking fee.
He also says parking is now being monitored. “Immediate action will be taken against attendants who charge over and above the fixed rate,” Manjunath told Metrolife.
‘I had no clue’
Shivakumar, assistant revenue officer, BBMP, who works from an office in the Jayanagar shopping complex, says he had no idea about the racket. He has received a copy of the FIR filed against him and two other contractors on January 5. “Nobody had raised a complaint about the parking fee,” he says. He says he has handed over the billing machine used by the parking attendants to the police for further investigation.
Parking rings busted
Jayanagar shopping complex
Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research
Indira Gandhi Institute Of Child Health
FIR at Jayanagar police station
Manjunatha U R, police inspector, Jayanagar, says Shivakumar, assistant revenue officer in BBMP, and parking attendants Mahesh Gowda and Govindaraju have been booked for cheating. “We have not questioned Shivakumar yet, but the other two say they were following instructions,” Manjunatha tells Metrolife.
Want to complain? Call these helplines
Karnataka Rashtra Samithi: 79756 25575
Lanchamukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike: 88842 77730
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