The state transport department is planning to set up a unified parking authority to solve the complex problem of parking in Mumbai and its suburbs.
The proposed Mumbai Municipal Parking Authority (MMPA) will have members from all important bodies that run the city, including the state government, the BMC and the MMRDA.
“Parking in Mumbai is a complex problem and it can be addressed only if it is approached in entirety. We need a separate body to address this issue,” Ramanath Jha, principal secretary (transport), said.
“We also need to discourage long-term parking by levying higher fees, develop parking areas under recreation grounds and play grounds and go vertical with multi-level parkings, R.A. Rajeev, additional municipal commissioner (city) who floated the idea of an unified parking body, said.
MMRDA has also floated the idea of a complete ban on street parking. “Everyday nearly 400 new vehicles are registered in the city. The number of vehicles on the street is going to increase manifold in the future. We should completely ban street parking and find innovative ways to address this problem, by levying higher parking fees,” R. Ramana, MMRDA’s senior transport planner said.
One of the important recommendations of the parking core group comprising transport experts and officials is that a parking policy should be developed for Mumbai, based on land use, intensity of development and levels of congestion.
{{/usCountry}}One of the important recommendations of the parking core group comprising transport experts and officials is that a parking policy should be developed for Mumbai, based on land use, intensity of development and levels of congestion.
{{/usCountry}}Jha said the government would take note of all the suggestions and work towards forming a unified body.