In Athwa zone, contractors start charging for parking

Surat: Even before Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC’s) new street parking policy is implemented, some contractors have arbitrarily started charging parking fees from citizens in Athwa Zone of the city.

Though the civic body officials maintained that the new parking policy would come into force from February, the contractors on small stretch from Athwa Circle to Parel Point are demanding Rs 30 as parking charge for a two-wheeler.

Under the SMC’s parking policy that got approval from the state government last month, roads have been marked in each zone for on-street and off-street parking. One such road

On January 4, while announcing the draft budget for the 2019-20 SMC commissioner M Thennarasan announced that the policy implementation will begin in February and during January people will be sensitized on the new concept of on-street and off-street parking.

However, Athwa zone some contractors are compelling citizens to shell out Rs 30 for a two-wheeler. This was reported from near SPB College, near the Cable-stayed bridge and at the end of Parle Point flyover.

“When the entire city is being preparing for implementation, how can some contractors have started charging parking fees?” asked a woman who visits a bank in a buildings near Platinum Plaza everyday. “I cant pay Rs 30 for parking my two-wheeler for 10 minutes daily,” she added.

Another citizens Jayant Doshi said, “When no where in the city the new parking charges are being collected, why should one pay to park in one particular area?”

When contacted, SMC’s Athwa zone chief Ashish Dubey said, “The space in question was allotted to contractor before the new policy was announced. So the contractor was collecting the on-street parking charges.”

However, SMC commissioner Thennarasn said that he we will look into the matter and do the needful.