PGI issues show-cause notice to parking contractor over 2-wheeler overcharging

According to the displayed rate list, the official parking fee for two-wheelers is Rs 5. However, several visitors said they were charged Rs 10. “They asked for Rs 10 even though it’s written Rs 5 on the board,” said Manjit who had come to visit a relative in the Emergency ward. Satpal Singh who was exiting the lot added, “Who will argue with them for Rs 5 or Rs 10? We’re already under stress at the hospital.”

A parking attendant working the 7 am to 1 pm shift admitted that he often receives Rs 10 from people who either do not have Rs 5 change or do not insist on the balance being returned. “Many people either don’t ask for change or hand over Rs 10 without insisting on Rs 5 back,” he said. He also confessed to issuing four-wheeler parking receipts, where Rs 10 is printed, to two-wheeler users, saying, “It happens during the rush.”

Visitors said the staff returns the balance only when asked, otherwise pocketing the excess. The attendant further claimed the rate is Rs 10 if a two-wheeler is parked for over eight hours, though this condition is not mentioned on the rate board. The institute has warned of strict action if the contractor fails to provide a satisfactory response within the stipulated time.

The authors are interns at The Indian Express