Hyderabad: NIMS told to cough up Rs 50K for collecting parking fee

Hyderabad: The Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) is slapped with Rs 50,000 fine for collecting parking fee from patients' visitors and attendants. It has been more than three years since the State government issued an order directing the hospitals to not to collect parking from the visitors and the attendants of patients. However, brushing aside the State government's diktat, the NIMS in Panjagutta and Koranti Fever Hospital in Nallakunta continue to flout rules and charging hefty parking fee on visitors and attendants of patients.

It is illegal for hospitals to collect parking fee as per the GO 63 dated February 20, 2018, where the government had issued 'Police on Parking' to address various issues related to parking. The GO ensures that the collection of parking fee is regulated. But the government hospitals and medical institutions still continue to flout the government orders.

Visitors and attendants of patients at the NIMS allege that they are being charged with a parking fee of Rs 10 per hour. Although it is a government institution, some private agencies' staff has been deployed at the parking area to collect the fee and they also issue receipts for parking fee with the NIMS name on it.

Irked with the collection of parking fee, Mahesh, a citizen, approached the Director of Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management (EV&DM) and filed a complaint against the NIMS as the officials were not strict. In his complaint, he said, "Even after paying Rs 100 for the registration at NIMS for the treatment, I was charged with Rs 10 as parking fee."

Later, he submitted a complaint with the parking ticket and hospital bill to EV&DM.

An official from EV&DM said, "Charging parking fee at the hospitals is against the parking policy of the State government. Also as per the Building Rules GO 168, the adequate number of off-street parking spaces as specified in the building rules will have to be provided by the owner of commercial establishments, malls, multiplexes, to meet the demand generated by the employees and visitors."

The EV&DM further said that NIMS was leasing and misusing the parking and common spaces in the building. Therefore, under Sections 24 and 28 of Telangana Apartments Act and Rules, 1987 and collection of parking charges against GO 63 the NIMS, Panjagutta has been fined Rs 50,000.

Speaking on this issue, Vijay Gopal, the anti-corruption activist said, "It is outrightly illegal to charge a parking fee. There have been constant violations by the commercial establishments. A permanent solution has to be arrived at by EV&DM."

According to NIMS hospital management, even family members of patients admitted to the hospital have to pay the parking fee. While a portion of the NIMS campus is leased out to private agencies who demand parking fee, free parking is provided to the hospital staff and doctors.