The promise made by the Police Department to put an end to the vehicle parking charges collected at multiplexes and cinema theatres from October first week seems to remain on the paper as the entertainment zones in the city continue to collect the same.
In September, the Police Department has announced that they would send strict orders to the multiplexes or theatre owners against collecting vehicle parking charges from the visitors, saying that it was their responsibility to provide the basic facility for the customers.
A month has passed and parking fee collection points at theatres and multiplexes are still witnessing heated arguments between the visitors and staff over the collection of charges.
Many citizens complain that the collection of parking fee and selling food and beverages beyond the maximum retail price (MRP) at multiplexes are continuing unabated.
“Recently, I went to a multiplex at Jagadamba Junction. I questioned the staff there about the collection of parking charges. I even told them that some media houses while quoting the police officers had said that it was illegal. But, the multiplex staff told me that they were yet to receive any such order and had been instructed by the managements to collect parking charges,” said N Sai, a private employee.
Promises yielded little
Some citizens complain that such promises were also made in the past, but to no avail. “I assume this is not for the first time the officials have said that they would stop the unauthorised collection of parking fee. May be they could be stopped for some days before things are back to square one,” said L. Ravindra, who came to shopping mall at Maddilapalem.
Several multiplexes in the city are collecting parking charges on a timely basis, while the rest have fixed charges for two and four wheelers without any time limit. At cinema theatres, ₹20 is being collected for bikes and ₹30 for cars.
Even as the visitors pay the charges for parking their vehicles in the designated locations, what surprises them is that the managements claim no responsibility for loss of helmets or any other belongings in the vehicles.
‘Govt. order awaited’
Appealing to the citizens not to lose hope, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) S. Ranga Reddy says that the parking fee collection issue will be coming to an end soon.
“We have written a letter to the government through the GVMC and the government is yet to issue orders to this effect. Once the orders are issued, we will strictly implement it without fail,” the DCP adds.
