Bhubaneswar: In a bid to make the transgender community self reliant, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday handed over two prime parking lots in the city to a transgender organisation to collect parking fees.
According to sources, BMC commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary allotted two parking lots to TG Swikruti organisation where 17 transgender will carry out the initiative on an experimental basis for two months.
"Transgenders used to work in the special squad to collect holding tax. Now they have been allotted two parking lots in the city to collect parking fees. I think this will benefit them and improve their livelihood," Chaudhary.
"Initially, they will carry out the initiative on a trial basis for two months and later the project will be extended if they emerge successful," the BMC commissioner informed.
While the first parking lot which spans from Shreeleather Showroom to Ashoka Market has four parking spaces, the second spreads from Master Canteen Square to Sriya Chhak and has 5 parking spaces, sources informed. The parking fee collectors have been provided with special aprons and money bag.
"The monthly rent for the first parking lot is Rs 2.23 lakh, while for the second it is Rs 1,46, 089. The TG Swikruti organisation has deposited Rs 7,380 as security money and needs to pay the rent of the parking lots on the first week of the second month after their completion of the first month," informed Srimanta Mishra, BMC Deputy Commissioner (Revenue).
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)