Free parking policy called off in Mumbai

State government has lifted the stay on BMC’s parking policy to make parking payable on any road or footpath in Mumbai from March, excluding a few designated tourist spots and public places. The move from the state government to lift the stay on a policy that BMC had introduced two years ago for free parking, came just a week before the civic election in the city.

The policy was passed and declared by Sena-BJP-dominated BMC general body on January 2, 2015. This policy faced resistance from the opposition parties and later by south Mumbai residents, making the chief minister put a hold on the same as the charges were Rs 2,000 per month for night parking.

The charges will be applicable on any road or footpath except public places like Girgaum and Juhu Chowpatty, the Gateway which are tourist spots. The rates may differ over the weekends and on public holidays.

“The process for implementation has already begun, but owing to the poll code of conduct, we will be able to publish advertisements calling bids only after the BMC election is over,” said a senior civic official. The poll’s results are scheduled to be declared on February 23.

“Our attempt is to implement the policy just as it was,” the official said. To begin with, tenders would be floated calling for contractors for 92 on-street and 12 off-street parking lots. The city has been divided into three categories–A, B and C–based largely on footfall, for applying differential parking rates. The highest rates are for the most crowded places. For instance, it will cost Rs 60 per hour to park a car at Kala Ghoda (category A) but a third of that near Shoppers Stop on Ghatkopar-Mahul Road (category C).

Atul Kumar, a member of the Nariman Point-Churchgate Citizens Association (NPCCA) said that the policy is not the solution for south Mumbai’s parking problem. “Most buildings in SoBo were built in the 1950s and did not come with parking lots (making residents to park outside housing societies). So, a policy like the present one cannot be applied across the city.”

As per the source (TOI) a four-wheeler parking space can be used from 8pm to 8am (night-time) for monthly charges from Rs 1,980 to Rs 660 as per a category in the policy’s residential scheme. From 8am to 8pm charges will vary from Rs 3,960 to 1,320. Only one slot will be available per car owner and housing societies will have to get in touch with their local ward office to know the particulars.