Sir,

If I may recall, the then Mandya DC Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan had abolished the parking fee at Sangama following several complaints of harassment and over-charging. Every one heaved a sigh of relief, particularly those who went there to immerse the ashes of their dear departed ones.

Recently I went to Srirangapatna to perform the rituals of my brother and lo, the nuisance is back with a bang. No board prescribing the fee for parking and no facility at all to park. When asked, the person produced a notification by the Municipality of Srirangapatna, naming some contractor and awarding parking fee collection for a total sum from 1.1.2018 till 31.12.2018. The booth does not have the name board nor the ticket carries the name mentioned in the notification. Against the name of the operator, the ticket for Rs. 50 per car, only shows AAA. Any question to the booth person is rebuffed with high decibel. At first the person issued a ticket without the vehicle number but when insisted, he gave a second ticket with only a part of vehicle number, thereby confirming that there is no control on the money to be collected and its proper accounting.

A hand-held ticket issuing machine is all that the person had to convince that the parking fee collection is legal and official. Why don’t the authorities insist on a proper board displaying the parking fee and the duration of the contract as also the name of the contractor? Will the authorities concerned clarify on reintroducing the parking fee?

– Prof. B.S.Shankara (retd.), Ramakrishnanagar, 10.5.2018

You can also mail us your views, opinions, and stories to [email protected]