Crackdown on pay-and-park fraud must be sustained

Representational image. Pic/Pixabay

The traffic police recently posed as auto drivers and exposed an illegal pay-and-park racket in Vakola. The cops arrested those running this illegal operation.

The accused had converted government land into a pay-and-park facility, charging motorists Rs 20 per hour. The police acted once they got information about this scheme.

Officers posed as auto drivers and took an auto into the parking area. The officers noticed the accused was collecting money from people for services while no parking receipts were provided.

It is time widespread action is taken against illegal parking lots. It is only the authorities who can do this, because at times, citizens themselves are confused about whether they are genuine or illegal.

Bogus receipts are printed at times and given to vehicle owners when they insist on them. Fake but authentic looking signboards are also set up, out of immediate sight, displaying hourly rates for parking. There is also some kind of uniform ‘parking personnel' wear to give the impression they are genuine. They are raking in a substantial amount of money every day.

How do people know what is the hourly parking rate, which is a genuine parking lot and who is an actual official? This is a very concerning grey area, and answers are few, considering that parking is such a widespread problem in the city.

There is also the familiar scenario of local strongmen actually usurping some piece of land and charging locals for parking there. Even though people may know or strongly suspect this is illegal, the charlatan gets away as his goons are in the vicinity and people are afraid to complain.

The crackdown on such fraud needs to be strong and sustained.