Parking mafia attracts police’s ire

■ During Ramzan, such activities run rampant in the Old City

The city police and civic authorities will not allow private parking syndicates to operate anywhere in the Old City during Ramzan.

This move follows complaints last year about private contractors fleecing shoppers.

Thousands of people visit the Old City for shopping from across the state and even adjoining Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Most of them come in private transport. “The parking mafia collects exorbitant fee from the vehicle owners depending on the duration of parking.

“Sometimes, they collect as much as `100,” said Mr Nadeem Khan, a resident of Tolichowki.

Pathergatti and the Madina building area draw large crowds for clothes while the adjoining Patel market and Rikabgunj market is popular for saris and embroidered suits and the Osmania Bazaar and Gulzar Houz for crockery and perfumes.

“To reach the place one has to park the vehicles on the High Court road stretch. Here some persons set up parking spaces and collect money. We understand someone collecting small sums for guarding the vehicles when we go for shopping but demanding `100 is unacceptable,” said Mirza Sami Baig, an accountant Mallepally.

Asked about this, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, V. Satyanarayana, said police patrols teams from will keep tabs on persons collecting money from vehicle owners.

“Extortion cases will be registered against such elements and they will be remanded. Any person having a complaint can call the police control room or bring it to my notice,” Mr Satyanarayana said.

He added that they have requested the GHMC to providing lighting in the parking places as a security measure.

Additional DCP, Traffic, Mohd Tajuddin Ahmed said the traffic police along with GHMC was identifying parking places for the convenience of shoppers.

The probable parking places are the Charminar bus station, High Court road, Moghalpura Sports Complex, Moghalpura water tank road, Salar Jung Museum road. “The spots will be finalised in a day or two,” he said.

Extortion cases will be registered against such element (people collecting money from vehicle owners) and they will be remanded. Any person with a complaint can call the police control room or bring it to my notice. — V. SATYANARAYANA, DCP, South