In a rural area in Shanghai, residents are now required to pay a “resource management fee” for parking in their own yards after the introduction of property management. This issue has recently sparked widespread attention on the internet.
A short video circulating online recently depicted the situation where residents in some rural areas of Shanghai resorted to parking their cars outside in a small grove to avoid paying the monthly fee of 150 yuan for parking inside the gated area.
According to a report by Shangguan News on May 14, reporters visited the location where the video was filmed in Yimin Village, Heqing Town, Pudong New Area, and found a toll gate on the rural road leading to the fourth villagers’ group on the south side of Yimin Village after crossing Yimin Bridge.
The screen on the toll gate machine indicated that the intelligent parking system had been in operation since February 20 of this year. There were also two signs erected nearby – one explaining the operation process and instructions for the “intelligent parking system,” while the other displayed parking regulations outlined in the villagers’ covenant of Yimin Village, including the fee schedule.
The covenant stated that members of the Yimin Village Economic Cooperative Society enjoy corresponding subsidies from the collective economic organization, allowing their vehicles to pass free of charge (including vehicles of direct family members). For non-members, the monthly fee for small vehicles is 150 yuan per vehicle, and for large vehicles, it is 800 yuan per vehicle, all of which require registration. For temporarily parked small vehicles, the first hour is free, with a charge of 5 yuan for up to 5 hours, and an additional 5 yuan per hour thereafter, capped at 50 yuan for 24 hours.
According to the cover story of a local news outlet, after the implementation of standardized property management in some rural areas of Shanghai, both local residents and external tenants are dissatisfied with the unresolved parking difficulties, which have exacerbated the issue of chaotic parking.
The article further delved into the challenges surrounding the justification and usage of parking fees in the village. Questions were raised about how the collected fees are utilized within the village. Moreover, the lack of proper parking space management despite the collection of fees only exacerbates the problem of unregulated parking practices.
Critics from Zhengguan News questioned how private yards became classified as property resources and why residents need to pay a “resource management fee.” Many tenants, especially migrant workers living in the village, opt to move out when faced with parking fees, directly affecting the local residents’ income and generating opposition.
One local resident, Mr. Wang, expressed that the toll gates set up were merely a method of collecting fees, without any proper parking management in place. Ms. Xu, another villager, highlighted that the villagers’ covenant was established without consulting the opinions of the residents.
This situation has sparked discontent among the public.
An online user from Shanghai, “Pope’s Old Fangirl,” confirmed the situation in their village, where residents are exempt from fees, but tenants are subjected to pay for parking.
Another user, “A Cup of New Time,” mentioned their location in Caolu and lamented the high monthly fee of 300 yuan, even higher than residential complexes, without proper management except for a toll gate.
Various other netizens weighed in on the matter, expressing concerns and criticisms regarding the increasing trend of implementing toll gates in rural areas and the lack of transparency in the management of parking fees.
The unfolding scenario has left many citizens disgruntled, with a sense of dismay over the apparent lack of consideration for the general populace.