Mumbai: Soon, traffic police to levy parking fine, not BMC

The BMC is also in the process of entrusting the responsibility of towing away of vehicles that are found parked illegally to the Mumbai Traffic police

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities, which had initiated a penalty for parking vehicles within the radius of one kilometre (km) of the civic body’s Public Parking Lots (PPLs) in July last year on the grounds of encroachment, are set to withdraw the fine.

Initially, the fine amount was fixed at Rs 10,000, later it was brought down to Rs 4,000, which would remain unchanged. (File photo)

The BMC is in the process of entrusting the responsibility of levying the fine to the Mumbai Traffic Police (MTP) and also towing away of vehicles that are found parked illegally. MTP will tow away the vehicles that have been declared as scrap and are found parked by a roadside.

Initially, the fine amount was fixed at Rs 10,000, later it was brought down to Rs 4,000, which would remain unchanged, BMC officials said.

Praveen Pardeshi, the former commissioner of BMC, had justified a year ago that the civic authorities would tow away vehicles that are found parked illegally. The BMC authorities had introduced the fine in a bid to reduce congestion on Mumbai’s roads and also promote the use of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses.

However, the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation has also led to an acute staff crunch. “We are overburdened with work for the past seven months because of Covid-19. We have taken the decision to hand over the responsibility of slapping fines on errant vehicles to Mumbai Traffic Police. The talks have been progressing for the past month and the handover is likely to take place in the next 10 days,” said a BMC official, requesting anonymity.

In September, the BMC had prepared a document to this effect. “It was observed that the manpower at the ward level of BMC for effective enforcement against unauthorised parked vehicles is inadequate. There is no dedicated wing for executing said works at the ward level. However, dedicated personnel is available with the traffic police department. The department may be assigned for towing away vehicles that are parked illegally,” the civic body had stated.

The BMC had introduced the fine on July 7 in Mumbai’s four major arterial roads such as Link Road, SV Road, LBS Road and Maharshi Karve Road. Later, the rule was relaxed and parking vehicles within the radius of a km of the civic body’s PPLs was reduced to 500 metres.

The slapping of the exorbitant fine had led to an uptick in the usage of PPLs.

HT had reported on January 11 that BMC’s implementation of fines for illegal parking near 26 PPLs showed positive results.

According to the civic body’s data, the occupancy rate of PPLs last December had increased up to 40%-50%.

Sunil Sardar, deputy chief engineer, solid waste management (transport wing), BMC, said the transfer of the responsibility to Mumbai Traffic Police is likely to take another 10 days. Nikhil Desai, a civic activist from Matunga, spoke up on behalf of the Mumbaikars.

‘The public does not care much about which authority is levying a fine. Implementation holds the key and the public gains at the end of the day,” he said.

“I have been complaining about two motorcycles parked illegally on a pavement in my neighbourhood. But BMC authorities are yet to act. They have cited that it is under the jurisdiction of Mumbai Traffic Police, who is yet to get on with the job. The public is suffering because of the inaction,” he added.