The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has enforced a new regulation requiring parking attendants in public parking lots to issue machine-generated parking tickets. Despite allowing the collection of parking fees in cash, this move aims to ensure accurate billing and enhance transparency in fee collection.
This decision comes after substantial resistance from car parking agencies, which highlighted technical issues that have plagued the app-based e-payment system introduced on January 18, 2023. The persistent glitches have made it challenging for attendants to rely solely on digital payments, prompting KMC to permit cash transactions while mandating the use of point of sales (POS) machines for ticket generation. A senior official from KMC’s car parking department acknowledged that less than 30% of parking attendants in the city were utilising POS machines. Additionally, some attendants with access to these machines continued issuing manual receipts, which often led to complaints from motorists. The new directive aims to address these issues by ensuring that only POS-generated receipts are considered valid for collecting parking fees.
“We have been receiving complaints from motorists that some attendants are issuing manual receipts. This will not be allowed. Only POS-generated receipts will be valid to collect parking fees,” stated the official, emphasising the necessity for compliance to maintain integrity in the system. KMC initially introduced the app-based system to promote transparency and user-friendliness in parking fee collection. To meet these objectives, the civic authorities had directed parking agencies to equip over 500 POS machines across the city, enabling app-based payments in various locations. Major thoroughfares such as APC Roy Road, AJC Bose Road, Chittaranjan Avenue, College Street, Vivekananda Road, Asutosh Mukherjee Road, Harish Mukherjee Road, Alipore Road, Syed Amir Ali Avenue, and Gariahat Road were included in this system.
The app-based payment method was first trialled on JL Nehru Road, Park Street, and Russel Street. It was later expanded to Netaji Subhas Road, Strand Road, Fairlie Place, Ganesh Chandra Avenue, and Brabourne Road, among others. To cater to the increasing demand, several car parking agencies were engaged, and approximately 110 POS machines were deployed during the initial phase. Despite the challenges faced, KMC remains committed to enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the parking fee collection system. The integration of POS machines is seen as a crucial step in this direction, ensuring that motorists are charged correctly while accommodating the need for cash payments.
