vehicle users fume over costlier parking fee at Tiruchi railway junction

A hike in charges at the parking lot of the Tiruchi Railway Junction has put motorists in a fix as they struggle to secure their own vehicles before using the trains on a daily basis.

A hike in charges at the parking lot of the Tiruchi Railway Junction has put motorists in a fix as they struggle to secure their own vehicles before using the trains on a daily basis.

Commuters, especially those who rely on the public paid parking lots in the junction and adjoining Central Bus Stand, say the charges have been arbitrarily increased.

“For a long time, I used to park my two-wheeler in the railway junction lot and travel by train. They used to charge ₹20 for 12 hours, but now they want ₹30. If there is even a half-an-hour’s delay, I am billed ₹30 for another 12 hours. So I have started coming from my home in Tiruverumbur by bus to the railway station, because it works out cheaper for me,” Manikandan, a freelance cab driver, told The Hindu.. The charge for four-wheelers is ₹110.

The increased fees are not matched by better facilities, said many users. In the absence of roofing, the parked vehicles are exposed to the elements, and there is no visible sign of security cameras. There are no toilets on the campus.

“Commercialising the allied services of a crucial public transport system like the railways will not be helpful to travellers in the long run. In addition to the increased fees, there is no space available for two-wheelers and cars to allow passengers to disembark at the station. Motorists are being shooed away or fined if they park briefly in front of the main entrance. This kind of high-handed behaviour is condemnable,” CPI(M) urban district secretary Raja said in a statement.

The new parking rates would add to the cost of living, said activists. “Ideally, parking should be provided free to the public. When such services are outsourced by local authorities to private contractors, the fee becomes exorbitant, and it will affect the workers who travel to and from Tiruchi daily to nearby towns,” said N. Jamaluddin, former president of Tamil Nadu Consumer Rights Council.

“The charge of ₹30 for 24 hours of parking time would be more fair,” he added.