Sambalpur: The Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Odisha’s Sambalpur has slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on a parking contractor for overcharging. The court has also asked the contractor to deposit another Rs 1 lakh in the consumer welfare fund of the district.
The court issued the order after hearing a complaint filed by one Prafulla Das. As per the complaint, Das had parked his two-wheeler near the GRP office of Sambalpur railway station last year. He was asked to pay Rs 30 as parking fee though the fee was Rs 12 for 12 hours. Instead of returning Rs 18, the staff at the parking stand returned him only Rs 6 for parking his vehicle for less than 24 hours.
The court ordered the parking contractor to reimburse Rs 12 at an interest rate of 12% per annum and also pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs to the complainant who was charged Rs 24 instead of the usual rate of Rs 12.
“On November 1, 2023, I parked my two-wheeler in the parking lot in front of the Sambalpur railway station before boarding the Sambalpur-Puri Intercity Express to Bhubaneswar. I was given a printed slip mentioning payment of Rs 30 and I made the payment because I had no time. When I returned by the same train late at night, the person sitting at the counter returned Rs 6 to me. I had no time to argue. Later, I went to the court and while the court was observing, the Indian Railways also conducted a probe and found that the contractor was overcharging,” Das told the media.
The Commission also issued strict directives to the contractor to put the rate charts on display prominently, keep the parking lot covered and ensure cleanliness and basic amenities in the facility.
“It was an eye-opening judgment setting an example in the country. The court also pulled up Indian Railways for being dormant for a year,” Das said.
