Racket in parking tickets

Questions are being raised as to how private individuals and companies were  issuing parking tickets, instead of the usual green uniform clad traffic wardens in  several public parking lots in the Colombo City.

Individuals were seen issuing tickets under a private name near the Town Hall  area. A ticket for Rs.30 was issued to the driver of a bus, which had brought a  group of visitors from Anurdhapura to Sathutu Uyana Children’s Park.

Several three-wheeler drivers also said they had seen such individuals on Norris  Canal Road, near the Regal Cinema and the National Hospital in Colombo.

Motorists complained that these individuals charge different amounts as  parking fees and were not in uniform nor did they have an identity card issued  by the Municipality.

A motorist said an individual issued a so called parking ticket and asked for a  fee for parking near the Asiri Hospital in Narahenpita some days ago. When  questioned by the motorist, the man said he had been authorised by the  municipality to issue parking tickets.

It was also reported that another such individual had been charging parking  fees from the employees of Lake House.

United National Party (UNP) Western Provincial Councillor Mujibur Rahaman  was also issued a ticket near the Moors’ Sports Grounds recently. This individual  had told Mr. Rahaman that he was working for a Borella-based company.

Mr. Rahaman alleged that some of these companies that were issuing parking  tickets were owned by close associates of a top government official.

However Colombo’s Special Commissioner Omar Kamil said the issuing of  parking tickets had been out-sourced to some private companies and added  that the municipality gets a percentage on the parking fees. He said it get  about Rs.400,000 a month and pointed out that transparency was being  maintained in giving out these contracts. (Yohan Perera )