Durgapur East MLA Chandrashekhar Banerjee has warned that motorists who are charged more than the prescribed parking rates during Durga Puja should take their parking coupons to the police and file a first information report. The warning follows complaints that visitors are being asked to pay different and allegedly excessive fees at parking sites across the industrial city.
According to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Bengal, visitors have complained of being charged Rs 50, Rs 70 or more for parking a four-wheeler while visiting puja venues. The report did not specify the authority that fixed the prescribed rates, identify individual parking locations or state whether any police cases had already been registered.
Banerjee said complaints had reached him about motorists being charged above the approved rates. He urged visitors to retain their parking coupons and submit them to the police along with their complaints. “If excess money is taken, go to the police station with the parking coupon and file an FIR. We will take action,” he was quoted as saying.
The MLA also said that receiving a contract to operate a parking facility did not give operators the right to charge members of the public any amount they wished. He described the alleged collection of excess parking fees as harassment of ordinary residents and said such practices would not be tolerated.
The issue has emerged during the Durga Puja season, when large numbers of residents travel to neighbourhood celebrations and often rely on private vehicles. Parking management becomes part of the wider festival transport system in such periods: visitors need clear information on where vehicles may be left, what rates apply and how complaints can be made when operators demand more.
The reported complaints have also circulated on social media, where visitors questioned why they should have to pay more than the prescribed amount to attend puja celebrations. The concerns point to an enforcement problem as much as a pricing dispute. Without visible rate boards, numbered coupons and clearly identified operating agencies, motorists may find it difficult to establish what fee is officially authorised at a particular site.
The report did not include a statement from the police, the civic authority or the agencies that awarded the parking contracts. It also did not establish how many sites were allegedly charging above the prescribed rates. Banerjee’s proposed course of action is for affected motorists to preserve their coupons and approach the police, after which authorities are expected to examine the complaints and take action where violations are established.
