Nod for dynamic parking norms around Metro stations, multilevel lots in Delhi

Under the policy, which was notified on September 21, buildings near Metro stations and multilevel parking lots will now have 10-30% less parking space than what is allowed under the current policy

The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has given the final go-ahead for the new “dynamic parking norms” which aims to tackle the issue of traffic congestion by reducing parking space and encourage people to use public transport.

While the rules for plotted residential areas in Delhi remain unchanged, those for group housing societies have been altered. Under the current MPD-2021 norms, a parking area of two equivalent car spaces (ECS) needs to be reserved for 100 sqm of built up area. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Under the policy, which was notified on September 21, buildings near Metro stations and multilevel parking lots will now have 10-30% less parking space than what is allowed under the current policy. A senior official from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said the new rules will be applicable on all sites where the construction has not yet begun.

“Even in cases where plans have been approved and construction has not started, the properties can be developed as per revised norms,” the official said.

The MoHUA notification states that if a property is located within a walkable distance from a Metro station, the parking requirement within that property will be reduced by 15-30%, depending upon the distance. A maximum of 30% deduction will be available if the property is located within a 500m radius. It drops to 15% if the distance from the Metro station is between 500m and 800m.

Similarly, if a multilevel car parking lot is located within a 1km radius of a property, the parking requirement of the building will be reduced by 10%.

A senior civic official from the planning department said that commercial properties and group housing societies falling under these categories will now be required to reserve less space for parking while getting their layout plans passed. “The changes will help in reducing traffic congestion and they are aimed at promoting usage of public transport,” the official remarked requesting anonymity.

The reduction in parking space requirement will also be applicable for hotels, guest houses, lodging houses, banquet halls, group housing, colleges, as well as recreational clubs, and in metropolitan city centres like Connaught Place and its extension.

While the rules for plotted residential areas remain unchanged, those for group housing societies have been altered.

Under the current MPD-2021 norms, a parking area of two equivalent car spaces (ECS) needs to be reserved for 100 sqm of built up area. “Parking norms in group housing societies will now be based on the number and size of the dwelling units, instead of the built-up area. Instead of 2 ECS (equivalent car space) per 100 sq m of built-up area, the requirement will vary from 0.5 to 2 ECS per 100 sqm depending on dwelling unit size,” an official explained.

The notification states that 0.5 ECS will have to be reserved for each dwelling unit less than 40sqm size, 1 ECS for 40-100sqm area and 2 ECS for 100-200 sqm dwelling units.

Similarly, the parking requirement for studio apartments has been reduced from 2 ECS per 100sqm area to 1 ECS per 100 sqm of the floor area ratio area.

The parking space requirement for banquet halls has been doubled, from the existing 3 ECS per 100sqm to 6 ECS per 100 sqm.

In the past, the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee has also flagged non-availability of parking space in banquet halls as one of the key causes of congestion near these units.

Prof Sewa Ram, professor of transport planning in the School of Planning and Architecture, welcomed the new notification. “The 800m distance is appropriate. This is based on transit oriented development (TOD) and, indirectly, it will encourage public transport. This is like a deterrent but we need to improve accessibility to public transport system and last mile connectivity. Now, the administration should focus on differential rates for parking in these areas so that surface parking can be discouraged,” he said.