The Punjab government has enlisted the services of a Turkish company in a move against trade unions operating illegal parking sites in commercial areas of the city, Pakistan Today has learnt. According to details, there are many illegal parking lots in the different areas of the provincial capital, for example Gulberg, Samnabad and Data Ganj Bakhsh. In Gulberg such illegal parking spaces are maintained along Ijaz Centre, Center Point, Gulberg Centre, Al-Hafeez Shopping Mall, Lahore Centre, Hafeez Centre, Auriga Centre, City Tower, Latif Centre, Century Tower, Empire Centre, Liberty Heights, Pace Shopping Centre, Jeff Heights, New Auriga Centre, Siddique Trade Centre, Askari Bank, Faisal Bank, Standard Charted Bank, Al Falah Bank, Tri Con Plaza, Silk Bank, In Design Plaza and Kingston IPL Plaza.
Officials of Le Parking Company told Pakistan Today that 15 to 20 percent parking spaces being operated in the city are illegal. Officials also revealed that City District Government Lahore (CDGL) had failed to curb activities of unions maintaining such sites and had now enlisted the help of a Turkish company to help legalise these sites.
Per official records, CDGL had been collecting Rs 15,000-20,000 weekly and Rs 25,000-30,000 on weekends from Liberty Market Parking site. However, once a private company took over, it generated revenue around Rs 50,000-60,000 on weekdays and over Rs 100,000 over the weekends. Sources revealed that it was difficult to maintain legal parking sites across the city because of a strong trade union system that was operating several major sites illegally.
Le Park is now hiring a Turkish company UCS which also participated in constructing the Liberty parking space. The company would be responsible for maintaining safe sites for parking and sustaining a smooth flow of traffic during peak hours.
However, trade unions from Barkat Market insisted that their business was legal as their stands were on the premises of private plazas. They added that CDGL had no right to take over privately-owned parking spaces. Legally, commercial properties are required to ensure proper parking spaces for free parking. The owners of such properties auction contracts for parking stands in violation of rules and regulations.
