LAHORE, Nov 6: The City District Government has decided to install its own signboards displaying the rates on its 50 parking stands to discourage overcharging by contractors.

Telephone numbers of district officer (public facilities) will also be written on the signboards for lodging complaints of overcharging and rude behaviour of the contractors. The contractors will be entrusted the responsibility of guarding the signboards.

Installation of signboards is a part of the terms and conditions for award of contracts for parking stands but the contractors do not fulfil the condition to overcharge the vehicle owners. They charge Rs5 from the motorcycle and Rs10 from car owners against the prescribed rate of Rs3 and Rs5 respectively. They misbehave with the people refusing to pay the charges being demanded by them.

The contractors continue to overcharge despite action by the CDG time and again. A number of contracts have also been cancelled for continued overcharging but the new contractors start doing the same because it ensures considerable increase in income.

Parking fee has been turned into a tax on the vehicle owners and contractors are extorting around Rs50 million every year from nearly 200 stands.

Parking stands have become a potential source of income not only for the CDG and town administrations but for departments like railways, the AG’s Office, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Lahore Cantonment Board and the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education.

The CDG and the six town administrations hope to collect Rs24.7 million from the parking stands contracts during the current financial year.