IT News
Imphal, Feb 17:
A massive extortion racket in the name of vehicle parking is allegedly taking place under the jurisdiction of the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC), with authorities remaining silent over the matter. Unauthorized individuals are reportedly collecting exorbitant parking fees from vehicle owners without possessing valid licenses or permits.
For every four-wheeler parked along the roadsides of Paona Bazaar, BT Road, Keishampat and other key locations under IMC, a sum of Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 is being charged. Similarly, two-wheeler owners are being forced to pay Rs. 20 per parking session. Given the high volume of vehicles parking daily in these areas, the total amount collected runs into several lakhs of rupees. However, crucial questions remain unanswered—who is collecting these parking fees, under whose authorization, and who is allotting these parking spaces?
As per regulations, the Traffic Regulation and Parking Committee (TRPC) is responsible for designating parking sites to mitigate congestion in Imphal City, while the IMC outsources parking management to NGOs or private firms. However, information obtained through an RTI query filed by Khangembam Shamungou Singh has revealed that there are 49 parking slots allocated to various NGOs, private firms, and agencies, generating revenue for IMC. This revenue is meant to be utilized for office maintenance, staff salaries, and other official expenses.
Interestingly, the permission granted to these NGOs, private firms, and agencies to manage parking slots has already expired. Most of the ‘deed of agreement’ signed between these entities and IMC lapsed in April and May of 2024. Despite this, no fresh tenders for the maintenance of these 49 parking slots have been issued as of February 13, 2025. Yet, parking fees continue to be collected, raising concerns over the transparency and legitimacy of the entire system.
The ongoing unauthorized collection of parking fees raises serious concerns about accountability within IMC. With no fresh agreements in place and no visible action taken against those engaging in such collections, it remains to be seen how the authorities will address this apparent financial irregularity affecting the public.
