TNPSC aspirants protest against parking fee collection at Madurai Corporation

The park inside the premises of Madurai Corporation, situated at the heart of the city, is one of the few spots where many TNPSC aspirants prepare for the examination. At any time of the day, hundreds of aspirants can be seen, under the trees, discussing and preparing for the upcoming TNPSC examinations. They would later reach the Corporation on their two-wheelers and bicycles. 

But from last Friday a parking fee of Rs.5 was collected by private contractors. This has been vehemently opposed by the aspirants. On Tuesday morning when the labourers working for the private contractor demanded money, the aspirants refused and staged a protest inside the premises of Commissioner office. 

Following the protest, Tallakulam Police rushed to the spot and held talks with them. The representatives from both the sides were later taken to the Tallakulam police station for further discussions. 

Speaking to DTNext, one of the aspirants, Vignesh Prabhu, claimed that Madurai Corporation is the only government office in Madurai that collects parking fees through private contractors. It would prove detrimental to large number of aspirants, who are economically backward and come to the Corporation to prepare for various government examinations. 

If they are charged Rs. 5 daily, the aspirants would have to cough up Rs. 150 per month for parking alone. With this sum they can buy to book for the exam. A number of aspirants have been studying here regularly for more than a year now. If they are asked to pay a fee all of a sudden, it would be an additional burden on them. 

“Though we have asked the officials to exempt us from paying parking fees, the officials did not pay heed. Hence we request the higher officials to interfere and exempt us from this fee,” demanded Vignesh.