A checkpoint to collect parking fees in Kendrapara. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, April 10: The housing and urban development department has put a clamp on the Kendrapara Municipality’s collection of parking fees from four-wheelers at various checkpoints and parking areas.

“The municipality has erected checkpoints along the Cuttack-Chandballi state highway on the outskirts of this town, where it is collecting cess from four wheelers. This is illegal. The municipality does not have the right to charge fees in such a manner,” said former chairman of the municipality Bijoy Krushna Sahoo.

The municipality can collect parking fees under Section 309(1) of the Orissa Municipality Act only after following certain norms. It must have to create appropriate parking space with required infrastructure such as provisions of potable water, toilet and rest sheds. But, the municipality here has started collecting fees even before building such infrastructure, said former councillor of the municipality Debdash Mohanty.

Kendrapara Private Bus Owners’ Association president Rebati Raman Das said: “The municipal authorities are forcibly collecting parking fees from bus owners. The municipality is least bothered to provide the basic amenities at the parking area. We have protested against the arbitrary fee collection.”

As the municipality is collecting fees in an allegedly illegal manner, it is believed that the authorities are siphoning off the collected sum.

The matter needs to be looked into and those responsible for this illegal act should be taken to task, said former chairman of the municipality Mohammad Akbar Ali.

When asked about the illegal parking fee collection, Kendrapara Municipality chairman Dhirendra Sahu said: “Parking fees are being collected for long. We are not aware of the legal bars on such collection. The matter will be looked into.”

In another development, the district administration has ordered a probe into the alleged arbitrary and unlawful fess collection by the municipality. Kendrapara collector Durga Prasad Behera said: “The matter pertaining to illegal parking fee collection is being looked into.”