The Hindu: Visakhapatnam: Friday, 14 November 2025.
Contractors flout railway contract terms; Duvvada only NSG-3 station charging rail users between ₹30 (including GST) to ₹60 parking fees without any security
Questions are being raised
over the rationale behind the parking fees fixed for two-wheelers and
four-wheelers (cars) at railway stations of the East Coast Railway Zone (ECoR).
Contractors operating these parking lots, are selected by the railways through
e-auction, with the lowest bidder (L1) awarded the contract.
The tender has certain rules that must be scrupulously followed by the licensee (parking contractor). These include: payment of insurance premium for vehicles parked within the licensed parking area against theft, damage, fire or other accidents.
Ironically, notice boards displayed at most parking areas state that the management is not responsible for theft of belongings or damage to vehicles a direct contradiction of the contract terms.
Data obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) Act by Kanchumurthi Eswar, secretary Duvvada Railway User’s Association (DRUA) and member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) revealed that at Duvvada, which is classified as a Non-Suburban Group (NSG-5 station), the parking fees are significantly higher when compared to Bhubaneswar, which is classified as NSG-2 station, and other NSG-3 stations such as Sambalpur, Khurda Road, Cuttack and Rayagada.
Interestingly, even within the Duvvada railways station, the parking rates differ between Platform (PF)-1 and Platform (PF)-4.
At Duvvada, four-wheeler parking charges are ₹30 (including GST) for the first two hours, ₹40 for two to six hours, ₹50 for six to 12 hours and ₹60 for 12 to 24 hours. However, in Bhubaneswar, the parking charges (excluding GST) are ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60. At NSG-3 stations the parking fee (including GST) at Sambalpur is ₹18, ₹30, ₹42, and ₹65; at Khurda Road parking fees are fixed at ₹15, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60; at Cuttack ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60 and at Rayagada it is ₹20 (including GST) for six hours or part thereof.
The parking fees for two-wheelers also shows a similar trend at these railway stations.
Mr. Eswar said: “Farmers from over 14 nearby villages, residents, and daily wage workers employed in and around Duvvada rely on the railway station. There are no sheds for parking vehicles on Platform -1 side, and no plans for a covered parking at the new station building, under construction on PF-1 side.”
He shared that a car parked on PF-4 side of the Duvvada railway station went missing recently. He urged officials to intervene and take measures to ensure parity in parking fees, along with provision for covered parking at the new station building.
Contractors flout railway contract terms; Duvvada only NSG-3 station charging rail users between ₹30 (including GST) to ₹60 parking fees without any security
The tender has certain rules that must be scrupulously followed by the licensee (parking contractor). These include: payment of insurance premium for vehicles parked within the licensed parking area against theft, damage, fire or other accidents.
Ironically, notice boards displayed at most parking areas state that the management is not responsible for theft of belongings or damage to vehicles a direct contradiction of the contract terms.
Data obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) Act by Kanchumurthi Eswar, secretary Duvvada Railway User’s Association (DRUA) and member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) revealed that at Duvvada, which is classified as a Non-Suburban Group (NSG-5 station), the parking fees are significantly higher when compared to Bhubaneswar, which is classified as NSG-2 station, and other NSG-3 stations such as Sambalpur, Khurda Road, Cuttack and Rayagada.
Interestingly, even within the Duvvada railways station, the parking rates differ between Platform (PF)-1 and Platform (PF)-4.
At Duvvada, four-wheeler parking charges are ₹30 (including GST) for the first two hours, ₹40 for two to six hours, ₹50 for six to 12 hours and ₹60 for 12 to 24 hours. However, in Bhubaneswar, the parking charges (excluding GST) are ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60. At NSG-3 stations the parking fee (including GST) at Sambalpur is ₹18, ₹30, ₹42, and ₹65; at Khurda Road parking fees are fixed at ₹15, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60; at Cuttack ₹20, ₹30, ₹40 and ₹60 and at Rayagada it is ₹20 (including GST) for six hours or part thereof.
The parking fees for two-wheelers also shows a similar trend at these railway stations.
Mr. Eswar said: “Farmers from over 14 nearby villages, residents, and daily wage workers employed in and around Duvvada rely on the railway station. There are no sheds for parking vehicles on Platform -1 side, and no plans for a covered parking at the new station building, under construction on PF-1 side.”
He shared that a car parked on PF-4 side of the Duvvada railway station went missing recently. He urged officials to intervene and take measures to ensure parity in parking fees, along with provision for covered parking at the new station building.
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