‘Today it was Vikas, tomorrow it could be any of us’: Parking attendants in Delhi say abuse common
Directing a vehicle to a vacant spot, Ram Parvesh (35), a parking attendant for more than 10 years, said commuters often lose their calm when asked to pay a parking fee and flee without paying.
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Sunil Chaudhary and Ram Parvesh The incident wherein Vikas Thakur, a parking attendant, was thrashed with a bat allegedly by a PT teacher after being asked to pay parking fee was anticipated, at least by parking attendants across the city, as rash behaviour and non-payment of parking fees are among several challenges they face.
Directing a vehicle to a vacant spot, Ram Parvesh (35), a parking attendant for more than 10 years, said commuters often lose their calm when asked to pay a parking fee and flee without paying. “Not everyone can quarrel with the driver over the money as it is mostly inconsequential. Being subjected to threats and abuse is common for us and most of the time we let the car go,” he said.
They earn around Rs 300 to Rs 400 every day, Ram said, adding, “We come early in the morning and leave around midnight. It’s a hard day’s labour and when commuters don’t wish to pay a parking fee, we have to answer to our contractors.”
Sunil Chaudhary (50), who handles a parking in Vasant Vihar, said that ever since the incident, beat officers have been informing parking attendants in the area not to indulge in any verbal spats. “We do not ask for money more than what is the standard parking fee rule. If they do not want to pay the fee, commuters can park their car at any other spot. My shift ended around 7 pm on Wednesday and I got to know about the incident only in the morning. Today it was Vikas, tomorrow, it could be any of us,” he said.
According to parking rules at MCD parking lots, Rs 20 is supposed to be paid by four-wheelers per hour while it is Rs 10 per hour for two-wheelers.
Chaudhary said regulars in his parking lot even give him their car key as they trust him. “When I issue a parking receipt to a driver when he or she parks, I assure them I will take care of their vehicle…it is my right to ask for the money and the driver has to pay it. I am not asking for a tip.”
Another parking attendant, requesting anonymity, said, “The relationship between us and commuters is based on trust and we try our best to cooperate with them and take care of their vehicles, but such indecent behaviour often makes us question our job.”
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