The Parking Mafia

Only in Delhi can we have a parking mafia!! :D The problem however is quite serious - with parking attendants charging Rs. 10 while they should be charging Rs. 5. Unfortunately, they have managed to create a public perception where the ordinary person actually believes that the official parking charge is Rs. 10.

A 2005 article reported that the MCD planned on prosecuting parking contrators who print fake tickets with a charge of Rs. 10 printed on them under s. 420 of The Indian Penal Code, 1860 which provides for the offence of "Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property." (Yes, that's where the old 'chaar so bees' comes from!)

That's all well said and done, but like in the case of the recent traffic violations drive as per the High courts order increasing fines, it apparently fizzled out and the real crooks got nothing more than a slap on the wrists (if that!)

Anyway, I am yet to see a 'fake' parking ticket. The trick I have seen them do is that the ticket has printed on it something along the lines of 'Rs. 5 for 2 hr.s and Rs. 10 for every subsequent hour,' and the attendants (intentionally) rip off the ticket right after the 'Rs. 5' part. So like the vast majority of delhites, if you think that the charge is Rs. 10 and the ticket seems to be saying the same, you will end up paying double the amount you should.

I've been paying them Rs. 5 since I found out about this last year. Most attendants don't say anything because they know they don't have a stand. One or two odd ones will ask for Rs. 10 but as long as you are firm and confident, they give up very quickly. Only once did one guy give me back the money, asking me to keep it myself and not even bother giving him 5 rupees. I obliged him gladly.

A 2006 article on the other hand talks about how the MCD really intends to respond in true desi style - eliminating violations of law by simply making the violations lawful! If you regularize the irregular, then everything ends up being regular.... sweet. They did this with the unauthorized construction stuff that's been going on for the past 6 months or so. So now the official rate will become Rs. 10. (Apparently it was supposed to be enforced from Feb. 1, 2007 but I'm not sure if that's happened).

I personally think that they should not charge anything unless and until they start using at least a part of that fund to maintain and develop parking sites.