Excess parking fee collection at Pudukkottai bus stand irks commuters

Commuters demand action to regulate excessive parking fees at Pudukkottai two-wheeler parking lot near bus stand.

Commuters have raised concerns over excessive parking fees being charged at the two-wheeler parking lot near the Pudukkottai bus stand and have demanded action to regulate the charges.

Two-wheeler parking facilities operate both in a Pudukkottai Corporation owned building near the new bus stand and at several private locations. At private parking lots, a daily charge of ₹10 is levied, with a ‘one-day’ calculation being a continuous 24-hour period from the time of parking.

However, at the Corporation’s parking facility, the daily charge is ₹15, and the calculation is reset at midnight. This results in additional charges for users, as vehicles parked close to midnight are charged for two days. For example, if a vehicle is parked at 11 PM and retrieved at 12 AM, two days’ parking fees (₹30) are applied.

R. Raja, a regular commuter who travels daily from Tiruchi to Pudukkottai for work and uses the parking facility, expressed frustration over this unfair system, urging authorities to intervene. He argued that the Corporation should mandate lower fees than private parking lots, not higher. He also pointed out that the parking area is poorly maintained, congested, and often leads to minor vehicle damages due to friction while maneuvering. “The parking fee should not only be for parking but also for maintaining cleanliness and proper management,” he said.

S. Mathiyazhagan, district committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), urged the Pudukkottai Corporation and district administration to take immediate action against the unfair pricing at the parking facility and implement corrective measures to ensure fair charges for commuters.

A senior official from the Pudukkottai Corporation said the issue would be investigated, and an inspection would be conducted to verify the reported irregularities