Rented parking in the works, says Devendra Fadnavis

On Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government is designing a Parking Policy for Maharashtra. He said he would instruct the civic bodies of these cities to map parking spaces and create a software application that motorists could use to find parking slots to rent

MUMBAI: The state government believes that rented parking, or paid parking, could help solve one of the most challenging problems in the state’s metros, starting with Mumbai, Thane and Pune.

Mumbai, India - November 05, 2022: Vehicles parked inside MCGM Parking Lot, at Parel, near Gandhi Hospital, in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, November 05, 2022. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

On Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government is designing a Parking Policy for Maharashtra. He said he would instruct the civic bodies of these cities to map parking spaces and create a software application that motorists could use to find parking slots to rent.

Fadnavis was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the state transport department’s headquarters in Worli, housed in a building owned by the department. “First and foremost, these two things need to be done (mapping and creating an app), after which we can look at enforcement of parking. In Mumbai, there are many public parking spaces, of which there are unused ones too. In future, if a motorist does not have a parking space, they can rent it using this app,” said Fadnavis.

The new Parking Policy for the state, first announced on December 30, 2024, is part of the government’s much-hyped 100-day transformation drive.

In December 2024, the transport department had proposed that motorists would have to furnish a ‘certified parking area’ certificate when buying a vehicle. After the chief minister’s announcement on Sunday, transport authorities said that renting a parking spot via the proposed app would also suffice. They clarified that these plans only at the concept stage.

Sources in the government said the BMC is already working on a project called ‘Automatic Parking Guidance and Management System’ with a digital payment mechanism, as part of a parking management solution for on-street, off-street and multi-level public parking. Over 3,000 parking locations have been identified in Mumbai, and the civic body plans to digitise the system with a single nodal agency overseeing the process.

“The idea is to provide motorists with real-time updates on parking available at these public parking spaces and they can book slots in advance,” said a senior government official. This will allow motorists to pre-book parking space, reducing congestion on the roads, especially during peak hours. Plus, the need to scout for parking spaces will also be eliminated, thus saving time and fuel costs.

“Motorists, especially from Mumbai and Thane, face parking issues. There is a need to have a proper Parking Policy and with state legislature session starting tomorrow (March 3), we should discuss this policy,” said state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik. He said the transport department, while preparing the concept plan on parking, has studied policies in London, Tokyo, New York, Zurich and Singapore.