July 7, 2003	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 6,1424

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FAISALABAD, July 6: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (city) has formally awarded Rs109.240 million contracts for the collection of parking fee, transfer of properties, building fee, publicity and other taxes, amid protests by the opposition councillors and trade bodies of the city.

During a session at the TMA Hall, the contract for the collection of transfer of properties fee and other related levies has been awarded to Muhammad Judge for Rs41.9 million.

Nayab Corporation succeeded in getting contract of building fee for Rs31.2 million through Naseem Saddiq. The publicity contract has been awarded to Zulfiqar and Company for Rs20.5 million.

The contracts for the collection of parking fee at Peoples Colony telephone exchange has been awarded for Rs104,000; for National Bank’s Jail Road branch for Rs212,000; for Bagh-i-Jinnah Rs350,000; for Regency Plaza Rs790,000; for Business Plaza Rs175,000; for Bagh-i-Jinnah gate No 1 Rs710,000; for Chiniot Bazaar telephone exchange Rs142,000 and for Rex City Plaza Rs681,000.

For the first time, parking fee has been imposed on main city bazars by the TMA despite protests by traders. The parking fee contract for Katchery Bazaar has been awarded for Rs1.2 million and for Circular Road for Rs1 million.

The opposition members of the TMA alleged that the Nazim received kickbacks from the contractors for awarding them contracts.

They blamed that the Nazim awarded the land transfer fee collection contract without getting surety bonds from the contractors which was a serious violation of the rules and regulations.

They further alleged that Rs1 million had been received from the contractor of parking stand of Katchery Bazar during the last seven months but the same had not been deposited with the TMA.

Meanwhile, Anjuman Tajiran Faisalabad and its affiliated bodies have announced to observe a complete shutter-down strike if the TMA did not withdraw its decision to award parking fee contracts in main bazars of the city.