Ranchi: Civic guardians' efforts at outsourcing two key areas of the capital's upkeep, a streamlined parking system and timely removal of garbage, have come a cropper as two firms that had been contracted for the jobs are being fired.

Based on feedback about their poor performance, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has decided to terminate the contracts of Gnostic Solution, that was to implement a colour-coded parking system, and Essel Infra, that was entrusted with garbage collection across the city.

"We are going to remove Gnostic Solution within a week. We sent a termination notice to Essel Infra three days back. These two companies have brought disrepute to RMC. They are not even ready to correct their functioning," deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said on Friday.

He said Essel Infra would continue to function for the next three months under notice period during which time RMC would look for a new company. "RMC would make temporary arrangements for collection parking fees," he said.

RMC commissioner Shantanu Kumar Agrahari said trouble had been brewing since earlier this year with complaints against the company's parking attendants for over charging and bad behaviour. The company had to be warned in August and September.

Things came to a head earlier this week with RMC slapping a Rs 3.45 lakh fine on Gnostic Solution for violation of contract norms and sought a reply by the end of the month.

The company was roped in to implement a colour-coded system of collecting parking fees on Main Road. The road was demarcated into zones, namely, green, yellow and orange based on the fee structure with green denoting the most economical area and orange the most expensive.

"Our plan to replicate the parking model in other parts of city depended on the success of its implementation at Main Road. But Gnostic Solution proved to be highly disappointing. Now, I am afraid that we can't do it," Agrahari said.

He said the most shocking revelation about Gnostic Solution was that it refused to take responsibility of the vehicles being parked. "The receipt issued by the parking staff mentions 'parking at owner's risk' which is a clear violation of the agreement. Also, the staff don't have uniforms, QR code and ID cards," the commissioner said.

The complaint against Essel Infra was that it operated in only 33 wards of Ranchi when it was responsible for collection, transportation and disposal of garbage from all 55 wards. While several localities weren't being served, the company routinely collected Rs 80 per household from all areas, RMC sources said.

Worst, its workers were frequently on strike alleging non-payment of dues.

"If after more than 50 reminders and warnings the company is not ready to improve, then it is better to remove it. Not a day passes when citizens don't lodge complaints against poor civic maintenance," said an RMC official.

Do you think terminating the agency will end parking woes? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com