Controversy has arisen regarding parking in Noida flower exhibition. Image AI
Praveen Singh Sikarwar, Noida. To ensure systematic parking in the city, the authority has issued a tender for surface parking. The parking contractor is given parking spaces based on the map with correct markings. Parking more than the designated space is considered illegal, and authorities take punitive action when complaints are made.
Now people have started criticizing the authority regarding this rule. The garden department of the authority is organizing the 38th annual, four-day flower show, a free celebration of the Spring Festival, at Shivalik Park in Sector 33. But, heavy parking fees are being charged from the people coming there, which is against the rules.
The process of issuing tender for parking has not been followed. Even after getting permission from senior officials, surface parking cannot be given to anyone. In such a situation, how can General Manager (Civil) SP Singh allow any parking contractor to park vehicles there and collect fees?
Finding itself in trouble, the authority has now thrown the ball back on the traffic police, claiming that the parking was being run at the behest of the traffic police. The reality is that the traffic police had instructed the authority to manage vehicle parking to avoid disruption in traffic.
The authority complied and earmarked that ground in Sector 32 for parking, where the garden department's garbage catches fire every year. The authority also put up signs regarding parking and fee collection, which is completely wrong.
Following the uproar in the city and criticism of the authority on the internet, Additional Chief Executive Officer Satish Pal has now said that if a parking contractor is collecting fees from vehicles parked outside the designated space even though he does not have a designated parking space, then strict action will be taken against him.
Recovery five hundred meters away from the designated place
The contractor is issuing challans for vehicles parked outside the designated place, on the roads around Shilp Haat and Shivalik Ground, away from the sub-divisional transport office. Before the flower show, a plan was made to charge ₹500,000 per day and ₹200,000 for the five-day event. Parking charges are being imposed.
Parking was made in Sector 32 for the flower show. Parking signs are being put up and collection slips are being given on the roads around Shivalik Ground in Sector 33A. People coming to see the glory of the flower show at Shivalik Ground think that they will park in the world of flowers, but instead they are being given slips to the vehicles parked on the roads.
Parking has been marked on the vacant land in Sector 32, but only 10-12 vehicles were found parked there. Thousands of other vehicles are parked in the Shivalik Ground around the flower show. Here contractors are giving collection slips. Parking fees are fixed, but contractors are arbitrarily charging up to five times the amount. Officials are calling it a system, but people are calling it open extortion.
Collection for the first time in 38 years
Noida Authority has been organizing the flower show for the last 38 years. After Noida Stadium, this event is being held at Shivalik Ground for the last two years. For the first time, parking fees are being charged from visitors.
After NTC department, the entire responsibility lies with Works Circle and Civil. The parking agreement of the contractor will be reviewed. If parking is happening outside the designated area, action will be taken. Satish Pal, ACEO, Noida Authority
More than 150,000 people arrived on the second day
Noida Authority claimed that more than 150,000 people turned up on the second day of the flower show. Parking arrangements were cited to avoid traffic jams during the flower show.
This is a betrayal of the public. The exhibition was said to be free for visitors. Better staff could have been deployed for parking.
-Yogendra Sharma, FONRWA President
Officials look for opportunities to make money from events. They are not lagging behind in finding opportunities here also. The condition of parking in the city and the arbitrariness of the contractors are well known. -NP Singh, DDRWA President
People are coming from far and wide. The police are also there to maintain order. There should be no parking system. Contractors are also cutting tickets arbitrarily.-Pawan Yadav, Sector 100
Where people come to learn, there should not be parking fees. People come from far and wide to see the flower show. High fees spoils the image of the city.-Deependra Choudhary, Sector 168
The parking fee system is wrong. It should be closed. Giving parking to a single contractor without tender clearly shows collusion.
-Sanjay Chauhan, Sector 144
We all together are opposing parking in the flower show. More and more people should be encouraged and invited to come here.
-Advocate Lat Saheb Lohia, Sector-141
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