Despite a major increase in per-vehicle charges over the past 12 years, the government’s income from parking facilities in the city has decreased.
A report from the Express Tribune highlighted suspicion that millions of rupees collected as parking fees in various locations are being misappropriated, but the relevant officials have not bothered to investigate.
Citing sources, the report added that the public treasury is incurring losses while citizens are paying hefty parking fees for their cars and motorcycles.
Lahore Parking Company was founded in 2011 after taking over the metropolitan corporation’s vehicle parking system. The objective was to implement a modern parking system in the city, with uniformed personnel assigned to manage the facility.
According to the plan, parking fees would vary based on duration and demand during each time slot, an official explained. Initially, the company charged Rs. 5 per motorcycle and Rs. 10 per car.
Currently, parking fees of Rs. 20 for motorcycles and Rs. 50 for automobiles are collected at official parking areas. No action has been taken in response to the complaints of overcharging from vehicle owners.
In contrast, while the city has expanded significantly during the period, the number of official parking spaces has decreased from 244 in 2011 to 167 today. In addition, it is estimated that there are over 500 illegal parking areas in Lahore.
The daily revenue of the Lahore Parking Company has decreased from Rs. 825,000 to approximately Rs. 600,000. On the other hand, citizen complaints regarding paid parking are increasing.
