the goan I network
MAPUSA
The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) appears to have no control over pay-parking contractor, as attendants employed by the contractors continue to fleece the common man at the Mapusa taxi stand.
The council had terminated an agreement with the earlier contractor appointed at the taxi stand after receiving several complaints of overcharging and other irregularities against him.
Unfortunately, the new contractor has been following in the footsteps of his predecessor.
As before, the new contractor has also started cheating and overcharging customers who come to park their vehicles at the taxi stand.
Although the official parking rate fixed by the civic body is Rs 10 per hour for a four-wheeler, the pay parking attendants charge Rs 20 per hour, which is 100 percent extra.
The contractor has been using ingenious ways to hoodwink the customers.
“The attendants who man the taxi-stand have been given two sets of tickets. One set with Rs 20 printed on them and another with Rs 10,” said Roland Fernandes from Tivim, who had an altercation with the attendants over the parking rate.
He said an attendant charges Rs 20 for parking whether the customer parks it for five minutes or one hour.
“Most customers pay quietly and move off. But if a customer challenges the rate the attendant quickly dishes out the Rs 10 ticket and walks away,” Fernandes said.
At times the attendants misbehave with the public.
The official rate for pay parking fixed by the municipality is Rs 10 for first two hours and Rs 5 for every subsequent hour.
Councilor, Tushar Tople said the council was aware of the mischief carried out by the pay parking contractors but expected cooperation from the public.
“The official rates are displayed on the board at the taxi-stand. People should immediately complain to the MMC when they are overcharged. This will help us to take action against the offenders,” Tople said.
“Very often these contractors harass the tourists by overcharging them,” he
added.
Sources in the council informed that after terminating the pay parking agreement with the previous contractor in July last year, the civic staff was collecting parking fees for at least four months at the taxi-stand.
At the end of December 2017 the pay parking contract was issued to some local taxi-owners for a period of three months, till March end.
Chairperson, Rohn Kavlekar said that he will call the contractor and inquire about the overcharging charge.
“In any case it’s a question of another month. In April 2018 a fresh tender will be issued for pay parking at the taxi-stand,” Kavlekar said.
