RailEnquiry

COIMBATORE: Motorists fleeced regularly by the parking contractor at Coimbatore railway junction were in for a surprise on Thursday morning when they were told to pay just the prescribed charge.Railway authorities took charge of the parking lot on Thursday after a court in Coimbatore vacated an interim injunction restraining the southern railway from floating tenders for parking at the station. "The private contractor who was operating the parking lot used to collect between Rs10 and Rs 15 for two-wheelers while the prescribed charge for a two-wheeler for two hours is just Rs 5," said a user at the railway junction.According to sources, the private contactor had obtained an interim injunction against the railways from floating tenders in December last year and had continued to operate the parking lot. "The stay was vacated recently and now the railways have floated tenders for the parking lot at the railway junction," a senior railway official requesting anonymity told TOI. According to him, the private contractor's term expired by July 31 midnight. The railway authorities moved in and took charge of the parking lot as the day changed."We took charge of this parking lot as an interim arrangement," the official explained. Apart from this, railway authorities have also regularized the parking of cabs to provide more facilities to the users. "With the cabs being shifted to the left side of the main entrance, now around 60 cars can be accommodated in the parking lot," the official said, and added that they will be in-charge of the parking lot until a new contractor steps in.

"With the entry of the railway authorities, four-wheelers now have to pay only Rs 8 for an hour as against the exorbitant fare of Rs 20 collected by the contractor," said Jameel Ahamed, president of Coimbatore Rail Users Association.