CHENNAI: After nearly three months of free parking across Chennai, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has allowed Toorq Media Services, its former parking contractor, to resume fee collection for two months following an arbitration award.

A senior corporation official said, “Toorq Media Services, which managed street parking before Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen’s Corporation Limited (TEXCO), had moved the Madras High Court citing heavy losses during the pandemic. Both sides agreed to arbitration, and the firm has now been given work orders to collect charges for two months.”

Toorq Media was the GCC’s parking contractor for five years from February 2019 to 2024. After its contract ended, the company sought an extension in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. Following the court proceedings, both parties agreed on a temporary arrangement to allow the firm to manage parking lots until a new long-term contract is finalised.

After the Toorq’s contract ended, the GCC had roped in Texco for six months in July 2024, assigning it 11,650 slots across the city. Texco was to collect Rs 20/hour for cars and Rs 5 for two-wheelers. However, it continued collecting fees even after its agreement lapsed in December 2024.

Reports of overcharging prompted the Corporation to restrict Texco’s operations to 10 prime locations, introduce digital payment through POS machines, and impose flat rates, Rs 20 for cars, Rs 5 for two-wheelers, and Rs 60 for heavy vehicles.

In July 2024, the GCC announced free parking at all Corporation-managed lots until a new contractor was finalised, cautioning that no private party was authorised to collect charges.

A financial department official said Texco had paid Rs 2 crore to the Corporation in the past year.