Kolkata Parking Scam: Agencies Defy App System, Charge Motorists Five Times Official Rate
In a blatant violation of regulations, several car parking agencies in Kolkata are operating away from the scrutiny of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials. These agencies are printing unauthorized coupons and forcibly collecting exorbitant parking fees from car owners, a practice uncovered during recent drives in prime parking zones across the city.
App-Based System Ignored as Cash Demands Persist
According to established rules, parking agencies are no longer permitted to collect cash by offering coupons following the introduction of an app-based fee collection system. However, parking attendants at key locations such as Jawaharlal Nehru Road (Chowringhee), Park Street, Camac Street, and Theatre Road have been undeterred. For the past couple of months, they have been demanding Rs 50 per hour from motorists, significantly exceeding the legal limit.
Tapas Ghosh, a resident of Fern Road, reported on Monday that he paid Rs 50 per hour at a parking lot between Dorina crossing and Lindsay Street, which can accommodate 70 cars at a time. He noted that this was the same rate he had previously paid when parking on JL Nehru Road. The attendants, identifiable by their true blue shirts and navy-blue trousers, admitted to charging Rs 50 an hour but indicated they would accept Rs 40 if offered.
Attendants Admit to Using Printed Coupons Despite Ban
One attendant explained, "Getting a parking slot here is difficult. Usually, people queue up to park. Most of them don't mind paying a little more for the service." He further conceded that they were provided with printed coupons for fee collection, acknowledging that coupons are not acceptable since the new app was introduced. "We know that coupons are not acceptable once the new app was introduced. But we can't help it. We are making our customers understand that the app-based collection system has fallen flat," said an attendant on duty opposite Oberoi Grand.
Cooperative Agency and KMC Response to Overcharging
The cooperative agency that manages most prime parking lots in central Kolkata, including Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square, stated that it instructs its members to collect only Rs 20 per hour from motorists. They warned that those demanding more would be reined in. Meanwhile, KMC officials insisted on Monday that the legal parking fee is Rs 10 per hour and announced plans to launch a crackdown against those extorting higher amounts from motorists.
Survey Reveals Widespread Extortion and Space Shortages
A survey conducted by TOI found parking attendants on JL Nehru Road opposite Grand Hotel demanding Rs 50 for an hour from motorists. If a motorist requests to see the KMC rate chart, they are denied a parking space, with rates increasing further after evening hours.
Several motorists interviewed reported being forced to park on Chowringhee and pay five times the KMC rates because all other parking lots in the area have ceased to exist. Police have not designated the area as a no-parking zone, but hawkers have occupied spaces on Bertram Street, Humayun Place, and Lindsay Street, reducing available parking.
Parking Capacity Crisis Fuels Unauthorized Operations
According to a KMC official, the sanctioned parking lots in and around New Market include Bertram Street with capacity for 40 cars, Humayun Place for 15 cars, and Lindsay Street for 30 cars. Currently, fewer than 20 cars can park on these three streets combined due to encroachments. This has shifted the entire pressure to Jawaharlal Nehru Road, which has space for 80 cars.
The growing demand for car parking on JL Nehru Road has led to the emergence of fake agencies. These unauthorized operators have started managing parking on the opposite flank, exacerbating the issue of illegal fee collection and lack of regulation.
