Railway station parking faces closure

GURUGRAM: The legal

parking

lot at Gurugram

railway station

could become non-operational by

April 24

. The contractor who won the tender to run this parking lot alleges there are nine

illegal

parking lots running nearby, causing loss to both him and railways. He has said if authorities don’t act, he’ll move out and not maintain the parking lot from April 24.

Every day, thousands of people from Gurugram travel by rail to Rewari or Delhi. They park their cars in the morning and take them back in the evening. Every day, around 1,000 two wheelers and 300 cars are parked at the nine illegal parking lots, most of which are vacant plots nearby that their owners have turned into illegal parking lots. Not even 30% of these numbers of vehicles are parked at the legal parking space.

The reason is not hard to guess. The official contractor has to pay Rs 1.59 lakh to the railways every month as rent. Following rules laid down by railway authorities, the rent at the legal parking lot for four wheelers is calculated on an hourly basis, or Rs 400 for a month, whereas the illegal parking lots tend to charge only Rs 150 per month.

Railways is also losing substantial amount of money due to vehicles being parked illegally. Every year, railways earns Rs 20 lakh from the parking lot. Officials at the Gurugram station said, “Ever since the illegal parking lots came up, the earnings have dropped drastically.”

The station master said, “In March, when the parking remained

closed

for 14 days, many people had complained about the safety of their cars parked in the space.”

“With the closure of the parking space, the railways will suffer substantial losses. No one else is showing interest in taking over this parking space due to the illegal parking lots being run with impunity nearby. We have also complained to the appropriate authorities about the matter. Tender of the parking lot was awarded till 2020. Rajender Kumar, who won the tender, said he will not be able to pay rent, so it’s better for him not to run it,” said Shankar Lal Meena, station master.

Kumar said, “Due to illegal parking, I have suffered a lot. I cannot pay the rent any more, because of the illegal car parks being run at the railway station. I don’t have any choice but to give up this space.”

Kumar has complained to the deputy commissioner on the matter, but said no action has been taken.

Illegal parking lots have operated out of the railway station area for a long time. Deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said he has asked for their closure. “Complaint has been received regarding illegal parking lots. Action will be taken,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, when asked for a comment.


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