Pune: Shopping malls in Fatimanagar are gaining importance day by day not only as a place for shopping, but also for the myriad entertainment facilities they offer. However, the downside is that customers become a harassed lot as they have to pay up a big parking fee.

The malls are charging Rs 10 for parking two-wheelers and Rs 20-30 for four-wheelers. This is over and above the Rs 2 charged for four hours for two-wheelers (Rs 5 for four-wheelers) in civic and cantonment limits.

In order to avoid paying up a relatively hefty amount, shoppers are forced to park their vehicles outside malls, which in turn leads to heavy traffic jams in that particular area, with the added worry of theft. Then again there is another problem. The people who reside near these malls suffer a lot as their roads turn into parking lots.

During weekends, shoppers park their vehicles in front of residential houses and make it impossible for people to go for a simple outing. It’s a tedious job to trace the owner of the vehicle too. Yet another category of customers decide to take an auto rickshaw instead of just wasting their precious hours of shopping by parking their vehicles in the malls.
In addition to this, the parking attendants declare that they are not responsible for any damages to the vehicle. “Then what is the purpose of collecting parking charges? This has been an unanswered question,” says Vicky, a Fatimanagar resident.

Private establishments are exploiting a lack of clarity in the development control rules on parking space, an additional amenity expected to be provided to customers.

“It is a disputable matter, whether they can charge more parking fee than decided by the municipal corporations and cantonment boards. Parking is a facility provided to the public, and not a source of income for these establishments,” Kevin, a youth Congress leader residing in Fatimanagar says.

Some Fatimanagar residents are worried the pay parking could have unwanted spill-over onto adjacent residential streets and set a worrisome precedent for other developments. “Obviously, the neighbours are concerned that people will simply not park there and will park on the streets in the surrounding area,” says Rodrigues, a resident.

At shopping malls, parking attendants say they face resistance from customers. “Each day we argue with at least 50 customers over the parking fee; on weekends the numbers increase,” says an attendant.

For people making purchases of over Rs 200, parking comes free. Vivek Nair, a customer says, “We do not always need to make purchases of Rs 200, many a time we buy goods worth only about Rs 50. What is the civic body doing? How can they allow variable rates for parking space?”