Chennai Corporation has decided to terminate the contract with Texco (Tamilnadu Ex-Servicemen’s Corporation Limited) for management of parking lots in the city.
The civic body had handed over 143 roadside parking lots for management by Texco. Only 12 metered parking lots in areas such as Mylapore and T. Nagar are managed by other private agencies.
According to a recent study by the civic body, personnel at a number of parking facilities managed by Texco were demanding additional charges in violation of the terms and conditions.
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Many of the personnel were collecting Rs. 10 per hour from cars and autos. But the permitted parking fee for a car is Rs. 5 per six hours and Rs. 20 per day. Two-wheelers and autos are exempt from payment of parking fees.
Many motorists have also reported collection of parking charges by personnel not authorised by the civic body.
Mayor Saidai Duraisamy on Saturday asked officials to design an alternative system to manage parking lots by private agencies. As many as 363 additional parking lots will also be managed by the agencies.
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Based on the list prepared by the traffic police last year, the civic body was planning to permit Texco to manage the additional parking lots on congested stretches. The Chennai Corporation is now planning to invite bids from private agencies to manage the parking lots.
“There are no parking spaces in many of the 200 wards. My ward covering parts of Mylapore does not have adequate parking spaces. There is a need for better parking management in the city,” said A. Noorjahan, councillor of ward 121.
The Chennai Corporation is likely to set up a parking management cell to tackle the challenges faced by vehicle owners.
The parking management cell will also facilitate commissioning of additional street-parking lots in areas without such facilities.
A number of roads such as Rajaji Salai, Wallajah Road, Vepery High Road, EVK Sampath Salai and Second Avenue Anna Nagar will soon get additional parking lots.