Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced a temporary suspension of vehicle parking fees at city beaches and on-street parking areas.
This decision comes in the wake of the expiration of the previous contractor’s tender period on March 31 and subsequent legal issues, including a police FIR filed against the agency for illegally collecting parking fees at Marina Beach post-contract.
A senior GCC official confirmed that parking charges have been halted across the city, affecting popular locations such as Marina Beach, Pondy Bazaar, and Anna Nagar. The suspension will remain in place until a new contractor is appointed to manage the parking services. The special project department is currently preparing a new tender, which will be awarded and overseen by the revenue department.
The decision to suspend fees follows several complaints and a police FIR against the previous contractor for continuing to collect parking fees illegally after the contract had ended. This breach of agreement has prompted the GCC to take immediate action to prevent further unauthorized fee collection.
In addition to the legal issues, residents have reported instances of overcharging and rude behavior by private agencies managing the parking areas. These complaints have underscored the necessity for stricter regulation and enforcement in the management of parking services to ensure fair practices and better customer service.
The GCC’s special project department is actively working on issuing a new tender for vehicle parking fees. Once awarded, the new contractor will be responsible for managing parking services under the oversight of the revenue department. This process aims to bring more transparency and efficiency to the system, addressing the concerns raised by residents and ensuring proper adherence to contractual obligations.