Visakhapatnam: Don’t be mistaken that your vehicle is safe when you park it in authorised parking lots in the city, be it at the railway station, bus complex, shopping malls or other places. The disclaimer at the bottom of the parking slip what many people overlook, mentions that the parking management is not responsible for theft of your vehicle, petrol or spare parts and the money you pay for hiring the space only. At some parking lots, the operator put up signboards stating that ‘parking at owner’s risk’.
It is seen many commuters park their vehicles at parking lots of railway or bus complex considering that the parking operators would ensure the safety of their vehicle. Ironically, there are no clear-cut laws or guidelines regarding parking of vehicles and management of parking lots. Some rulings in the past by court or consumer forum have gone in favour of parking operators and some against them, making the issue more complex.
Commuters find them in a spot as not only the contractors shed off their responsibilities showing the disclaimer, but also the municipal corporation, government or private bodies outsourcing the parking service also show clauses stating that they were not liable if vehicles were stolen from the parking lot.
The parking operators are blatantly shrugging off responsibilities. “If I park my vehicle on an authorised parking space licensed by the government, and I am paying for it, I also expect my vehicle to be taken care of and be protected against theft and vandalism by the agency levying the charge,” a commuter said. Senior advocate and president of Forum of Legal Professional Kuppili Muralidhar said, “The operators should be held liable for the theft and damage of vehicles. What is worrying is that there are no clear guidelines. The agreement between the two parties should mention that who would be responsible for the theft of the vehicle or damage to it.”
