6 months ago
2
Questions are being raised implicit the rationale down the parking fees fixed for two-wheelers and four-wheelers (cars) astatine railway stations of the East Coast Railway Zone (ECoR). Contractors operating these parking lots, are selected by the railways done e-auction, with the lowest bidder (L1) awarded the contract.
The tender has definite rules that indispensable beryllium scrupulously followed by the licensee (parking contractor). These include: outgo of security premium for vehicles parked wrong the licensed parking country against theft, damage, occurrence oregon different accidents.
Ironically, announcement boards displayed astatine astir parking areas authorities that the absorption is not liable for theft of belongings oregon harm to vehicles a nonstop contradiction of the declaration terms.
Data obtained nether the Right To Information (RTI) Act by Kanchumurthi Eswar, caput Duvvada Railway User’s Association (DRUA) and subordinate of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) revealed that astatine Duvvada, which is classified arsenic a Non-Suburban Group (NSG-5 station), the parking fees are importantly higher erstwhile compared to Bhubaneswar, which is classified arsenic NSG-2 station, and different NSG-3 stations specified arsenic Sambalpur, Khurda Road, Cuttack and Rayagada.
Interestingly, adjacent wrong the Duvvada railways station, the parking rates disagree betwixt Platform (PF)-1 and Platform (PF)-4.
At Duvvada, four-wheeler parking charges are ₹30 (including GST) for the archetypal 2 hours, ₹40 for 2 to six hours, ₹50 for six to 12 hours and ₹60 for 12 to 24 hours. However, successful Bhubaneswar, the parking charges (excluding GST) are ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60. At NSG-3 stations the parking interest (including GST) astatine Sambalpur is ₹18, ₹30, ₹42, and ₹65; astatine Khurda Road parking fees are fixed astatine ₹15, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60; astatine Cuttack ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60 and astatine Rayagada it is ₹20 (including GST) for six hours oregon portion thereof.
The parking fees for two-wheelers besides shows a akin inclination astatine these railway stations.
Mr. Eswar said: “Farmers from implicit 14 adjacent villages, residents, and regular wage workers employed successful and astir Duvvada trust connected the railway station. There are nary sheds for parking vehicles connected Platform -1 side, and nary plans for a covered parking astatine the caller presumption building, nether operation connected PF-1 side.”
He shared that a car parked connected PF-4 broadside of the Duvvada railway presumption went missing recently. He urged officials to intervene and instrumentality measures to guarantee parity successful parking fees, on with proviso for covered parking astatine the caller presumption building.
