• By Kamakshi Bishnoi
  • Thu, 06 Mar 2025 02:15 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Lucknow: The integrated parking system at Charbagh railway station has been shut down once again, just 90 days after its launch. The contractor managing the parking facility, ADMS, has withdrawn from the contract citing heavy financial losses. With immediate effect, Northern Railway will take over parking operations from Thursday.

The parking contract was awarded to ADMS in December 2024 by the Lucknow division of Northern Railway. The contractor had secured the Rs 5 crore contract by paying an initial installment of approximately Rs 1.5 crore. Under the system, parking slips were issued at the reservation center, allowing free vehicle movement for the first 10 minutes, followed by a minimum charge of Rs 20 afterward.

While the parking system ran smoothly for the first month, passenger complaints began surfacing from January. Issues such as overcharging and disputes at the station became frequent, contributing to financial losses.

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ADMS proprietor Abhishek Dubey stated that despite expectations of earning Rs 1.5 lakh per day, the operation was incurring a daily loss of Rs 85,000, primarily due to internal conflicts at the station. Unable to meet the next payment installment, the contractor decided to exit the contract.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) of Northern Railway, Kuldeep Tiwari, confirmed the development, stating that the parking facility at Charbagh railway station was handed over to ADMS. 

Tiwari informed that the contractor stopped operations after three months without paying the next installment. He also said that the railway administration will take over parking management from Thursday.

A major cause of conflict was the cab-way connecting Charbagh railway station to Lucknow Junction. Passengers traveling via this route had complained about overcharging, especially for cab services to Lucknow Junction, where an Rs 80 fee was charged, including a Rs 60 fee specifically for cab-way. The railway will now collect parking fees upon vehicle entry, eliminating double charges for cab users.