Everywhere in the world, there is a proper system of Charged parking fee collection, declared sites for parking and the authorized person for fee collection.
Unfortunately, when we see the system of charged Parking in Pakistan’s business hub Karachi it does not appear to be transparent.
Here in Karachi People also calls the charged parking fee collector a mafia because they are doing the same thing as extortionists or mafia does.
They collect extra charges, misbehave & threaten citizens in case of asking about the charging of excess amount, no authority name printed on ticket and many of them are not even have any ticket they just get the amount and citizens are forced to pay whatever the amount they ask because they don’t have any other option.
It is observed that, There are different departments in the city who authorize the parking fee collection contract on a yearly basis to the contractors by auction.
Karachi Municipal Corporation, District Municipal Corporation’s, Cantonment Boards including other civic agencies allocate the sites for parking fee collection in their respective areas to the contractors by getting millions of rupees through a procedure of auction.
Whereas the charged parking collection rates declared by KMC for Motorcycle is 5 Rupees and for Car is 20 Rupees. However, the District Municipal Corporation’s & Cantonment Boards has fixed 10 Rupee for Motorcycle and 20 Rupees for Cars.
Abdul Khaliq Baloch Director Charged Parking KMC informed that KMC has a total of 34 Charged parking sites in different parts of the city, whereas the auction has renewed and the parking sites would be handed over to new contractors on 15th of this month.
On the question of Over Charging by the contractors he shared, KMC has blacklisted 15 contractors during a year and the department is determined to take further action against the mafia, However, he admitted that the contractors are overcharging from the citizens and also there are illegal charged parking sites in the city.
He also shared that, the organized mafia backed by government officials involved in this system.
Moreover, he said that the charged parking fee declared by the KMC is 5 Rupees for Motorcycle and 20 Rupees for Car and the contractors are abide to charge the said amount from citizens.
In addition, he said that to get rid of charged parking mafia KMC has written a letter to IG Sindh and other authorities for cooperation.
He also informed that the department has received a number of complaints and the majority of complaints received from District SOuth.
On the other side Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police City, Khalid Mustafa Korai informed that if the contractors are charging excess amount so KMC or any other authority who gives the contract is mainly responsible to take any action against the contractors.
Further, informed that, Yesterday he has suspended the SO Preedy for parking on two to three lanes in Mobile market Saddar which was causing traffic jam.
On the question of Traffic Police involvement in supporting the parking mafia he stated, “I would take strict action against the traffic police employee if he would prove to involve in backing the charge parking fee collectors of any illegal doing”.
Whereas Opposition Leader of KMC Karam Ullah Waqasi informed City News that, the Mayor’s own Mafia involved behind the overcharging.
He also alleged that the whole amount of auction is not going to the revenue of KMC. However as an opposition leader, he added that he has raised the said issue in the session of the council but KMC is not taking any action against the mafia as the Mayor directly involves in this act.
It is learned that no contractor of KMC or any other civic agency obey the laws, on some parking sites, contractors give receipts to the citizens on which 20 to 30 rupees and also the name of authority printed on it, they print these receipts by themselves which is totally unlawful because they print excess amount receipt with the name of government departments on it.
City News Correspondent asked about the permission of site from one of the parking fee collector, he told that we have permission from Karachi Cantonment Board to collect charged parking fee from Atrium Mall to Avari Hotel Road.
The said parking contractor was issuing parking fee tickets of 20 rupees to the motorcyclists and also park the bikes in 2 to 3 lanes.
Sources informed that in District South many of the parking fee collectors are charging excess amount and stand on every corner of the road without having any permission or having any parking fee ticket, they are doing this illegal business with the nexus of district administration and local police.
Roads in marketplaces in Saddar mobile market, Gulshan e Iqbal, II Chundigar road, Zaib un Nisa street, atrium mall, Techno city, Tariq road including a large number of roads in front of hospitals and public parks are totally in the grip of parking mafia.
Senior Journalist Hasan Askari, stated that There is a collapse in the system because departments are dependent on contractors, without any proper vigilance system. Who has given the license to contractors for misbehaving and harassing citizens, Police should have to play a significant role against the parking mafia.
We don’t even bother to think about the fidelity of the people charging us parking fee.
In fact, these guys are just front men for a big mafia which earns millions by charging illegal parking fees under the protection of the local police station and district government officials, he added.Mr. Askari urged the Mayor Karachi and law enforcement agencies for a crackdown against the parking mafia.
Farhan Haider-Social Activist, It is well organized mafia looting Karachites in the name of charge parking, local government must take action and give ease to the citizens. Also, it be regularized as every contractor has printed their only slips.