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Racket in parking tickets

16 Sep 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Questions are being raised as to how private individuals and companies were issuing parking tickets, instead of the usual green uniform clad traffic wardens in several public parking lots in the Colombo City.

Individuals were seen issuing tickets under a private name near the Town Hall area. A ticket for Rs.30 was issued to the driver of a bus, which had brought a group of visitors from Anurdhapura to Sathutu Uyana Children’s Park.

Several three-wheeler drivers also said they had seen such individuals on Norris Canal Road, near the Regal Cinema and the National Hospital in Colombo.

Motorists complained that these individuals charge different amounts as parking fees and were not in uniform nor did they have an identity card issued by the Municipality.

A motorist said an individual issued a so called parking ticket and asked for a fee for parking near the Asiri Hospital in Narahenpita some days ago. When questioned by the motorist, the man said he had been authorised by the municipality to issue parking tickets.

It was also reported that another such individual had been charging parking fees from the employees of Lake House.

United National Party (UNP) Western Provincial Councillor Mujibur Rahaman was also issued a ticket near the Moors’ Sports Grounds recently. This individual had told Mr. Rahaman that he was working for a Borella-based company.

Mr. Rahaman alleged that some of these companies that were issuing parking tickets were owned by close associates of a top government official.

However Colombo’s Special Commissioner Omar Kamil said the issuing of parking tickets had been out-sourced to some private companies and added that the municipality gets a percentage on the parking fees. He said it get about Rs.400,000 a month and pointed out that transparency was being maintained in giving out these contracts. (Yohan Perera )

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Racket in parking tickets

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