The business of 'pay and park' in Surat, Gujarat has come under scrutiny for flouting the rules set by the Surat Municipal Corporation. The corporation had awarded several contracts for pay and park facilities in the city to generate additional revenue. However, contractors are reportedly charging vehicles on municipal cycle tracks in the Vesu Canal Road area, in direct violation of prescribed norms.
Despite complaints against contractors charging for on-street parking and pay and park services in the Gaurav Path and Vesu areas, the administration has yet to take any action. Moreover, instead of giving receipts from electric machines as instructed by the municipality, contractors are issuing manual receipts.
The lack of enforcement has led to an atmosphere of complacency among the contractors, who continue to flout the municipality's policies. The corporation's policies aim to promote cycling and other environmentally friendly modes of transport, but contractors are parking vehicles on cycle tracks, undermining these efforts.
The municipality has previously given direct instructions to collect payments using electric machines, but the issuance of manual receipts highlights the ineffectiveness of these policies. It is imperative that the municipality takes swift action against such illegal practices and ensures that its policies are being upheld. Failure to do so will not only be detrimental to the environment, but also the public’s trust in the administration.
