MC on challaning spree at Elante Mall parking

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28

The municipal corporation is on a challaning spree against the parking contractor at Elante Mall, Industrial Area, Phase I, for blatant violation of norms.

During the past five days, MC officials have issued challans on three days against Lal Singh and Company, which manages the Elante Mall paid parking lot. An amount of nearly Rs 30,000 has been imposed as fine on the contractor for various violations, including overcharging, attendants without dress, non-functional CCTV cameras, haphazard parking and absence of e-ticketing machines.

It all started with the overcharging of a private vehicle of MC Additional Commissioner Sarita Malik, who visited Elante Mall on Saturday.

MC officials said they visited the Elante Mall parking lot on different days and found that the contractor was flouting norms. The MC staff also met commuters, who told them that the attendant at the parking was overcharging them, an official said.

A visit to the Elante Mall parking lot revealed that the MC had installed a board mentioning the parking rates, but it was near the four-wheeler parking lot. No such board was displayed near the two-wheeler parking lot.

At the Elante Mall parking lot, the charges are Rs 5 for a two-wheeler and Rs 10 for a four-wheeler, but attendants often overcharge the commuters. In other parking lots in the city, the charges are Rs 2 for a two-wheeler and Rs 5 for a four-wheeler.

Last year, the MC Finance and Contracts Committee had decided to increase the penalty imposed on parking contractors found overcharging to Rs 10,000.

No challans issued on Republic Day

While the MC issued challans to the Elante Mall parking contractor on January 24, 25 and 27, no challans were issued on Republic Day. Sources said as the MC staff was on leave, no challans were issued on Republic Day.

Violations detected at Sector 22 parking lot too

The MC staff on Wednesday detected violations at paid parking lots in Sector 22 A and B. The MC team found that there was haphazard parking, no attendant to facilitate parking every 50 metres inside the parking lot and non-functional CCTV cameras.