Mafia Controls 60% of City Parking Contracts

Parking contracts in wards 'A' to 'T' are controlled by a single individual, alleges whistleblower

- Linah Baliga

MUMBAI: A recent sting operation, which exposed corrupt practices at the pay-and-park facility at Kala Ghoda in South Mumbai, has uncovered a parking mafia that extends across a number of civic wards in the city. According to the whistleblower, whose information prompted the undercover operation, an astonishing 60–70% of parking contracts under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are controlled by a single individual.

The operation that uncovered these alarming details was carried out at the parking facility outside the Jehangir Art Gallery on May 9. The attendant here attempted to overcharge senior civic officials who turned up incognito, and attempted to park their vehicles at the facility.

The BMC, which recently lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the pay-and-park contractor, discovered rampant overcharging and illegal parking in designated no-parking zones after activist Santosh Daundkar first raised the alarm on April 25.

From 'A' ward to 'T' ward, Daundkar has detailed how these contractors, some with alleged criminal records, operate as a coordinated mafia, systematically exploiting the city's parking system with impunity.