Gurgaon has the distinction of being ‘given’ multiple Master Plans (and their revisions) in the last decade – with a 2031 Master Plan being the most ‘current’. These have ensured that almost all agricultural land has been converted into Real Estate. However, none of the planners had a plan, forget a vision, for infrastructure – not even of roads and transport networks…and Parking. The ‘design’ of the City has almost made it imperative to use cars as a mode of commuting, even for half a kilometre. The growing number of corporates offices and malls has just meant more cars. Unfortunately, for all of these, there was, and is, no Plan for Parking. This situation has been tailor-made for a new tribe of ‘entrepreneurs’ called the 'Parking Mafia' – which is flourishing all across the Millennium City. Any ‘vacant’ plots, whether they belong to government agencies or private builders or even residents, are ‘controlled’ by them – of course with the ‘patronage’ of officialdom and politicians. The failure of the authorities to fix a Parking rate has also allowed these illegal operators to charge whatever they feel like. Depending on the profile of the area, the number of vehicles and demand for space, these operators charge Rs 30 to Rs 300 (for a few minutes to a day) for the parking of a car. Such is their might, that the residents of DLF Phase IV, which houses the prestigious (and lucrative for Parking, too) Galleria Market, have failed to get any action taken against the local Parking Operator. They allege that he is operating without any authorization, either from the government or the builders/developers. The RWA of the DLF Phase IV Plot-owners had started an agitation to get them evicted…and it has been seven years of frustration!
Vinod Chopra, Secretary of the RWA, says that on January 28, 2013, the executive members of the RWA had met and handed over a letter to the DCP Traffic, regarding the illegal Parking in the Colony. In March they submitted a letter to the DCP, East, who constituted a team to inspect the matter – and took no further action. The RWA then wrote to the Commissioner of Police, as the Parking Operators were misbehaving with the residents. They also met the DCP, East again, to apprise him of the matter. Chopra says that despite persistent requests to the Police, the matter was neither taken up nor any action taken, because the ‘Parking Mafia’ in the City is powerful and allegedly works hand-in-glove with the local Police. No help is forthcoming even from the developer, DLF; in fact some residents allege that the Developer is also in in collusion with the illegal Parking Operators, as a large amount of cash is generated through these operations. On Tuesday, a deputation of the DLF Phase IV residents was invited by the DCP, East Nazneen Bhasin, after an email was sent to her by the RWA, detailing the travails of the local residents. After the meeting, Chopra said that they have been asked to meet the local SHO, and DCP Bhasin has assured them that the matter will be resolved. However, given their past experience, the RWA members are clearly apprehensive. Just in the last one year they have submitted letters to the officials at the Sector 29 Police Station, visited the Office almost ten times, met the SHO multiple times…and even met the Parking attendants and the Operator at the Police Station. While there was no action taken by the Police, some RWA members – including Chopra - were threatened by the Operators! The RWA had also filed an RTI application with the Police and the MCG, asking them who had given the permission or licence to the Operator to charge Parking Fees. There was no answer from the government authorities. Chopra says that as per the law an RWA can appoint a Parking Operator and also give permission for the charging of a Parking Fee. G S Jhalani, a resident of DLF Phase IV, says that the attendants talk menacingly and abuse any car owner who questions them or refuses to pay. Satishwar Dayal, a resident, feels that the basic issue is that the Developer has not ensured adequate Parking space for residents and visitors; and whatever space has been planned, has not been well- demarcated. There is completely inadequate planning for the ‘commercial’ buildings and areas. As a result, the internal roads and vacant plots in the Colony are constantly ‘choked’ by cars, which have nowhere else to go. Padmini Singh, Vice President of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Haryana, who accompanied the RWA deputation to the DCP’s Office, says that another issue is the large number of cab drivers gathering in private colonies and often indulging in drinking, which is a potential risk to the security of women and children. “We want the authorities to take cognizance of this fact as well, because crime against women is a serious issue in the City”, asserts Singh.
The residents of DLF Phase IV further allege that instead of removing the Operator, he is being helped by officials and the local Traffic Police – they send cranes to pick up cars that are not parked in the ‘area designated as Parking’ by the ‘Mafia’. There are no Police officials in, or coming along with, these cranes. “We have visited the Office of the DCP Traffic to make this complaint in writing and we have spoken to the ACP Traffic to register the complaint, and we have met and explained the issue to two other Police officers. We have also written about this ‘Crane Mafia’ to the DCP Traffic and ACP Traffic on February 11, 2014”, says Chopra - but the ‘Mafia’ continues to rule. The RWA members have also met the MCG Commissioner Praveen Kumar, and told him about the problems being faced and he has assured them that he will look into the matter. However, the manner in which the proposal to build multi-level parking sites was scuttled in the Millennium City, allegedly due to the influence of this ‘Parking Mafia’, it is unlikely that this menace could end soon. Despite the repeated floating of tenders, there was not even a single company that came forward to take up this (multi-level Parking) Project. The fear of the local parking operators, many of whom allegedly have criminal backgrounds, has also prevented established firms from entering this space. R S Rathee, President of Gurgaon Citizens Council, says that the authorities must take action against the errant agencies and ensure that the RWA is able to manage the affairs of the Colony. “Why should outsiders, who have no stake in the Colony, control Parking or any other activity?” he asks. Satender Singh, who works in Cyber City, says that parking a car is a headache, but ensuring that your expensive car remains safe and untouched from scratches is almost impossible, as no one takes responsibility. Sunil Mathur, a resident of DLF Phase IV, opines that due to a huge ‘floating’ population and the constant movement of cars in their Colony, the residents feel fairly insecure - despite living in a premier private colony. The residents allege that illegal Parking areas are flourishing in the City because it s a low investment, high returns non-tax business. Unofficial ‘sanction’ from local civic officials, policemen and even the administration departments of relevant MNCs is all that one requires to set up an illegal Parking lot. A large number of these have now come up on the newly flourishing Sohna Road.
A couple of years ago the then HUDA Administrator, Nitin Yadav, had launched a crackdown in several HUDA sectors where the ‘Parking Mafia’ had taken hold of vacant plots and even the free parking areas in HUDA markets. In fact large plots around Leisure Valley were also being controlled by the Operators, which had forced HUDA to launch a ‘cleaning drive’. However, illegal parking operations have again boomed in the City, backed by powerful interests and a pliant administration. The problem gets more complicated in developer colonies, as government agencies have little stake in these areas and the builders prefer to side, and do business, with the Parking Operators. The builders have tasted the fruit of ‘permanent’ maintenance revenue from the ‘common areas’ of their (always non-completed) projects – and the vacant plots are now included in that definition. In a slack Real Estate market, this ‘extra income’ is even more inviting. But the residents will not give up. It’s a battleground tailor-made for AAP, that too in election season. These 'khaas damaads' have stayed a little too long.
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