Navi Mumbai BJP to Raise APMC Parking Scam Concerns with CM Devendra Fadnavis

Navi Mumbai, 10th February 2025: The Navi Mumbai BJP unit has decided to escalate concerns to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding an alleged parking scam at the wholesale APMC market, where truckers are reportedly being issued fake receipts bearing the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) logo for unauthorized parking fees.

Truck drivers have alleged that parking charges are being levied on multiple roads around the APMC market despite these areas not being officially designated as ‘Pay and Park’ zones by NMMC. Rahul Kumar, a trucker from Haryana, shared his experience: “I frequently visit the market to deliver agricultural produce. I have paid ₹200 several times for 12-hour parking and was even given a receipt. I recently discovered that there was no legitimate charge for parking here. When I, along with other drivers, questioned the individuals collecting the fees, we were threatened and forced to comply.”

The scam came to light when civic officials caught an individual red-handed and lodged a police complaint, leading to the arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in the illegal collection of parking fees. A senior officer from APMC police station stated, “We have arrested a suspect involved in collecting unauthorized parking charges and issuing fake receipts. The investigation is ongoing, and we are tracking down others linked to this operation.”

BJP Navi Mumbai president Ramchandra Gharat highlighted the scale of the issue, stating, “APMC has five major markets, receiving around 4,000 trucks and tempos daily from across the country. For years, many of these vehicles have been forced to pay parking fees to an organized group that distributes counterfeit NMMC receipts.”

He further claimed that the scam generates lakhs of rupees monthly and is allegedly backed by a political leader. Gharat also pointed out a similar racket near Turbhe railway station, where CIDCO has since introduced an official ‘Pay and Park’ system.

Expressing concern over the delay in apprehending the main orchestrators, Gharat stated, “I will personally raise this issue with Devendra Fadnavis, as it is a significant law and order problem in such a crucial marketplace. This extortion is also affecting small vendors and hawkers, who are forced to pay between ₹250 and ₹500 daily.”