The Navi Mumbai Municipal corporation (NMMC) levying hefty fines on vehicles parked on the road has evoked the ire of social activists. Belapur based activist Sandeep Gholap addressed a legal notice to the ward office of Nerul after it was found that the fines levied had discrepancies.
As per the challans issued to motorists parked adjacent to DY Patil college road in Nerul, the civic administration was found levying a sum of Rs 5000 as fines. “the entire process is illegal and unjustified. It has become a money making business for the ward office to go about levying fines in the name of traffic violation when the corporation has provided no alternative,” said the activist.
The legal notice was issued to the ward office on February 27.
As per the notice, NMMC is termed to be unlawfully collecting excessive charges. Likewise coming under the scanner is the bifurcation of the fines into towing charges and Jammer charges. “ I would like to know on what authority NMMC is going about levying the penalty, what legal provision the organisation has to collect such steep fines. I would like to know whether there was a resolution passed in the General body to this effect. Even if they are authorised by some means, how is levying towing charges applicable when the vehicle was not towed,” questioned the activist.
The activist’s ire stems from the grievance voiced by some of the motorists penalised for parking on the road. He recalled that a senior citizen who had come to Dy Patil hospital has been making rounds of the ward office to get his vehicle released as he is not in a position to foot such hefty fines. “ The ward office is intentionally targeting vehicles parked outside Dy Patil as these belong to students and visitors. Without any alternate parking provision what is the logic of penalising motorists” said Gholap.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sharad Pawar said of looking into the matter after procuring information from the concerned ward. An official from Nerul ward office affirmed that action is taken on illegal parking but refrained from commenting on the amount being fined. ” There are legal provisions as municipal corporations act to levy fines but I am not aware about the amount,” said the official.
