EV&DM fines over 50 multiplexes and shopping complexes for unauthorized parking fee

Each of these businesses had to dish out Rs. 50,000 in penalty for overcharging or wrongfully collecting parking fees from their customers.

Hyderabad: In the past few weeks, the Directorate of Enforcement, Vigilance, and Disaster Management (EV&DM) has levied fines on over 50 commercial establishments in the city for collecting unauthorized parking fees.

Each of these businesses had to dish out Rs. 50,000 in penalty for overcharging or wrongfully collecting parking fees from their customers.

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With multiple commercial establishments coming up on every lane and more than 70 lakh vehicles roving on city roads, the need for parking space is never-ending.

To curb building owners from taking advantage of the situation and collecting exorbitant parking fees, a parking policy was formulated in 2018.

“We respond to all complaints regarding parking fees and we noticed that it is mostly either multiplexes or shopping malls. There was a government order five years back that lays down clear regulations on parking fees in commercial establishments,” says EV&DM Director Prakash Reddy N.

According to GO 63, for up to the first 30 minutes, no parking fee must be collected from the customers. From 30 minutes up to one hour, the fee will be waived if customers provide a bill for any amount showing that they shopped in that mall/multiplex.

When the duration of parking is more than an hour, the customers can provide a movie ticket or bill which is more than the parking fee.

Any commercial establishment which does not follow these norms will be fined Rs. 50,000. However, the government’s revised order, GO 121 of July 20, 2021, allowed only single-screen theatres to collect parking fees – Rs. 20 for two-wheelers and Rs. 30 for four-wheelers

Here are The official parking fees:

Up to 30 minutes – No parking fee

30 minutes to one hour – Fee exempted if bill produced

Over one hour – Fee exempted if bill produced is higher than the parking fee