Representational image only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Lack of enforcement has emboldened the multiplex and movie theatre managements in the city, who are charging the cinema lovers for vehicle parking in violation of the government orders issued over six years ago.
Tickets worth at least ₹20 are being issued for the parking of two-wheelers, while the same for four-wheelers is ₹30. “Recently, I went to see a movie at the Miraj theatres in Kothapet, where I was charged ₹30 for parking my car. They were nonchalant even when I threatened them with a complaint to civic authorities,” said M. Srinivas Rao, a movie goer.
A parking ticket issued by Shalini Cinemas in Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit:
V. Swathi
“Adding insult to injury, the parking space was grossly insufficient, which made entry and exit from the theatre cumbersome,” he shared. His is neither the only complainant nor is Miraj the only theatre charging the customers for parking.
Despite several complaints posted on various platforms with photographs of parking tickets issued by movie theatres, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is doing precious little to penalise the theatre managements. “Asian Ganga theatre at Gaddiannaram, Dilsukhnagar, charging parking fees for two-wheelers, request you to check and take necessary action,” Chandra Kumar, a movie watcher posted on X. There has been no response from civic officials.
“Hitech Theatre Cool Drinks not allowed. Parking charged. Whether GHMC is watching or everything left for air for the sake of Hyderabadis… Really Disgraceful,” posted another user Varma, who shot a video of the parking charges pasted on a pillar in the basement.
Similar complaints have been posted against Sudha Theatre Cinepolis, Shalibanda, Venkataramana Megaplex & Padmavathi Cineplex, Cine Town Indra Nagendra theatre in Karmanghat, Sri Krishna theatre in Uppal, and several others since last year. A few users tagged the Central Enforcement Cell and GHMC, mostly with no response from either.
Telangana government, through an order over six years ago, issued detailed order on the collection of parking charges in commercial establishments, malls and multiplexes. According to the instructions, parking should be free for the first 30 minutes of parking, and above 30 minutes and up to an hour, it should be free of charge if the vehicle owner produces the bill in proof of having done shopping in the mall or multiplex concerned. And for durations above one hour, the parking should be free if the vehicle owner produces a bill or movie ticket for an amount which is more than the parking fee.
A month after the order, the government also issued an official memo, clarifying that the stipulations were applicable to standalone cinema theatres too in addition to multiplexes. “All commercial establishments, institutional buildings, hospitals, and other structures where parking is part of building permission come into the definition,” it said.
