Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 16 : Parking has become a major issue of confrontation everywhere in Mangalore though paid parking in some important junctions has eased the situation to some extent. Even the new Mangalore International Airport is not free from parking related squabbles though it has nothing to do with the parking space, unlike in many other places. The problem at the airport pertains to what one aggrieved person termed as cheating by the parking personnel.
According to Nikholas Lewis, who comes to the Airport 5 to 10 times a month, he has been forced to pay Rs. 60/- for parking the vehicle in the general parking area for more than 5 minutes. His contention is that the board which is stationed inside the barricaded area where entry ticket is issued clearly displays premium parking as Rs 60/- and general parking as Rs. 40/- for four hours of parking. However, Nikholas says that at the exit point where the money is to be paid the person issues only a ticket of Rs. 60/- to all the customers and collects the amount which is meant for premium car parking, which he says amounts to cheating.
After a visit to the airport it was noticed that the board at the entry point was inside the barricade area at the entry point and it was outside the barricade at the exit point which the customers hardly notice. The board which displays the parking rates is placed outside the barricade area after the amount for parking is paid, is ineffective and serves no purpose. The premium parking area is confined only to a small portion of the entire parking area which many people are not aware of whereas general parking area is quite spacious and most customers park their vehicles at the general parking slot.
If the customer exceeds the allotted 5 minutes of free parking, he has to pay the parking charges at the exit point. But the hitch is that the ticket issuers do not give any opportunity for customers to opt for premium or general parking. Customers who are oblivious of this option of two types of parking pay Rs 60/- charged and retreat not knowing that they have paid an extra sum of Rs. 20/- despite parking in the general parking slot.
Nikholas said he had noticed the parking fare displayed in the board and had to argue with the ticket issuing people who refused to give him a chance to choose between the two options. Nikholas pointed out that on one occasion he had spent nearly 30 minutes arguing with the ticket collector who refused to open the barricade without paying the money. Nikholas insists this was despite the fact that he had telephoned the ticket issuer asking him directions for parking his vehicle in the general parking slot. Despite asking in advance and in spite of parking in the general parking slot he said he was harassed for paying Rs. 60/-. While Nikholas at least knew about the parking rates there are hundreds of vehicles which come to the airport everyday who are cheated.
Nikholas says that the earlier contractor at least used to keep two separate slips –white for Rs. 40/- and pink for Rs. 60/- though he used to issue the Rs 40/- slip only when the customer demanded and that too after some wrangling. He says the new contractor who is at the job for the last 3 months does not even keep the Rs. 40/- ticket with him leave alone issuing it even on demand. One can imagine how customers are cheated systematically over a period of time.
When the matter was brought to the notice of the Airport Director M R Vasudeva he said he has given information to the press time and again about the specified amount to be paid for parking and about other facilities. “It is the ignorance of the customers due to which they end up paying more just as ignorance of law is no excuse”, he said. However, this incident of cheating can be attributed to both the ignorance of our intelligent people and the duplicity of the people supervising the parking slot. Our people either failed to read the board or cared a damn to fight against this cheating thinking it hurt their ego.
After listening to the complaint Vasudeva soon got into action as he called the contractor and the ticket issuers and asked why they were cheating the public. The contractor insisted it was a onetime mistake as the ticket collector was new to his job, an argument which Nikholas was not ready to accept. Vasudeva then personally came to the exit point of vehicles and directed the ticket issuing personnel to charge the customers as per the parking slot used by them. He also noticed that the barricade the exit point was out of order and directed the people concerned to ensure it is made functional at the earliest.
As per the directions given by Vasudeva henceforth the ticket for parking for premium or general parking will be issued at the entrance giving the customers the option and the parking charges will have to be paid at the exit. Since most of the cars are parked in the general parking slot the customers should pay only Rs. 40/- and if the parking personal resort to any cheating customers can lodge oral or written complaint with the airport authorities.
Jago Grahak Jago…..
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