Commercial establishments collect parking fee in violation of govt orders in AP

Vijayawada: It’s been three weeks since the municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department enforced orders regulating parking fee collection at commercial establishments, malls, and multiplexes. However, private agencies and individuals continue to collect parking fees from moviegoers and patrons visiting these places.
When the TOI team visited a private mall on MG Road, the parking staff collected ₹20 for a two-wheeler under short-term parking rules. According to the rules, ₹20 is charged per two-wheeler for 0-4 hours, with an additional ₹10 for every extra hour.
When questioned about the parking fee, the person manning the parking lot said that the area is operated by a private individual under a lease agreement and is authorised to collect parking fee from all vehicles.
The MAUD department issued GO MS No. 44 on March 24, aiming to provide free parking to customers at commercial establishments. Malls and multiplexes are no longer allowed to collect parking fees for vehicles parked on their premises. Parking is supposed to be free for the first 30 minutes, and between 30 minutes to 1 hour, no fee should be charged if the vehicle owner presents a valid shopping bill or movie ticket.

However, many establishments are not implementing the government order. Consumer Rights Council conducted a survey and found that most shopping malls and cinema theaters in major cities including across Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram are still collecting parking fees. “We will submit a representation to all district collectors and municipal commissioners along with our survey report findings and urge them to strictly enforce the orders,” said Dr. Vikas Pandey, national president of the Consumer Rights Council.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is planning to conduct raids at commercial establishments to ensure parking charges are not collected from vehicle owners.