Private contractor collects higher parking charges at Coimbatore Junction railway station

COIMBATORE: Passengers are forced to pay Rs 40 to park their two-wheelers on the Coimbatore Junction railway station premises for two hours. According to the fare chart, the minimum charge for parking a two-wheeler is Rs 10 for two hours while Rs 40 is charged for 24 hours.

For cars, it is Rs 20 for two hours and Rs 80 for 24 hours.A new contract for the operation and maintenance of the parking lot at the rear entrance of the junction was awarded in April 2025 and is valid till March 2028. P Rajesh, a commuter at Coimbatore Junction, stated that frequent complaints about excessive parking charges were reported. He said, “For someone who travels on a MEMU from Coimbatore to Mettupalayam, the train fare is Rs 10.

But he has to pay three times the charge for parking on the station premises. One of my friends chooses to park his two-wheeler outside the premises because of these excessive charges. This is the case with many other commuters, making way for illegal parking along the roads.

”On Friday, team TOI encountered a similar situation where the employees of the private contractor demanded Rs 40 per hour for parking a two-wheeler.

When asked about the high charges, they said a minimum of Rs 40 should be paid even if the vehicle was parked for 10 minutes.When the issue was escalated to the station authorities, it was revealed that some workers under the contractor had been suspended and a penalty had been imposed earlier based on previous complaints. The official said, “Regarding the new allegation of excessive parking charges, an inquiry will be initiated, and immediate action will be taken. If passengers come across a similar problem, they can immediately report to the station authorities.

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