Kolkata Municipal Corporation removes parking department manager

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has removed Arghya Sikdar, the manager of the parking department, from his post and transferred him to the social sector department.

The move comes after West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, reprimanded Mayor Firhad Hakim for doubling the parking fee, which was allegedly done on Sikdar's advice and instructions. The KMC issued a directory on Tuesday night, stating that Sikdar's transfer is a routine process and did not disclose any reason for it.

However, the opposition has accused the mayor of trying to shift responsibility onto Sikdar, with BJP councilor Sajal Ghosh claiming that the decision to more than double the parking fee in Kolkata was taken by Mayor Firhad Hakim himself. It is alleged that Sikdar had not provided proper information to higher officials regarding the parking fee hike, leading to his removal from the post.

Despite these allegations, a senior municipal official has maintained that Sikdar's transfer was routine and unrelated to any decision. The controversy surrounding the parking fee hike has raised questions about the accountability of officials in the KMC and the transparency of decision-making processes.