Panchkula, April 13: Passengers arriving at the Panchkula entrance of Chandigarh railway station are increasingly forced to walk long distances with their luggage, as a rigid parking fee system discourages auto-rickshaw, taxi and e-rickshaw drivers from entering the premises.
The moment a vehicle enters the designated lane—regardless of whether it stops or not—a parking fee is automatically levied. For taxis, the charge is ₹40; for autos and e-rickshaws, ₹20. Even bicycles aren’t exempt. The station signage makes it explicit: “Pick and drop facility is not available.”
“I had five pieces of luggage, and my auto driver asked for ₹50 extra just to enter the station,” said Anil Verma, a passenger who had just arrived from Uttar Pradesh. “That’s just the entry fee, not the fare. He’s helpless, and so are we. My family had to squeeze through a bent fence to avoid the fee.”
A damaged section of the station’s fencing has become a risky, makeshift passage for passengers unwilling—or unable—to pay the fee, offering a stark illustration of the inconvenience and desperation caused by the current system.
Auto and e-rickshaw drivers say they are losing income just by entering the premises. “The passengers want to be dropped at the entrance, but whatever we earn goes in parking,” said Balwinder, an auto driver.
Seventy-two-year-old Rama, travelling with two large bags, arrived more than an hour early for her 3:30 pm train. “It is so unfair for auto drivers and for us too,” she said. “There’s no option but to walk.”
The parking system has been in place since a six-month short-term contract was awarded following complaints of theft and poor accountability. Senior divisional commercial manager Naveen Kumar Jha defended the arrangement, calling the charges “reasonable” and noting they are much lower than fees at airports.
“Parking is a mode of revenue generation,” Jha said. “The charges ensure safety and security. Earlier, no authority—including police—was taking responsibility. If commercial drivers or unions are unwilling to pay the nominal charges, that is beyond our control.”
He also acknowledged the issue of limited access from the Panchkula side and said construction work is underway to improve it.
This isn’t the first time parking fees have caused controversy at the station. In 2022, passengers raised similar concerns when a new system was introduced on the Platform 1 side. A six-minute grace period was offered for non-commercial vehicles but complaints of overcharging and disputes with attendants persisted, eventually prompting authorities to extend the free access window to 10 minutes.
However, the Panchkula entrance currently lacks any such provision. Multiple attempts to reach station superintendent JP Singh for comment were unsuccessful.
