Soon, pay to use 330 parking lots in Mumbai
Of the 8,000 new spaces for four-wheelers, 1,000 will be in Bandra-Kurla Complex alone
You will soon have to pay to park in 330 lots across the city, most of which have allowed free parking up to now. Under the state’s new pay-and-park policy, you will have to pay up to Rs 60 an hour – almost twice the existing rate – to use them. Earlier this year the state government lifted a stay on the pay-and-park policy, clearing the way for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to implement it.
Currently, the city has just 92 on-street parking lots that people pay to use. The 330 additional lots that will soon have paid parking have space for more than 9,000 two-wheelers and more than 8,000 four-wheelers.
Of the 8,000 new spaces for four-wheelers, 1,000 will be in Bandra-Kurla Complex alone.
This time around, it was not the BMC but the Mumbai traffic police that came forward with the list of parking lots that were being used for free.
Civic chief Ajoy Mehta instructed all 24 ward officials to float tenders for managing these 330 lots on priority. They will be become pay-and-park lots by end of the month.
However, the tenders will only be valid for six months. A senior civic officer, who did not wish to be named, said, “The traffic police have come up with a list that has been circulated to the ward officers by civic chief’s office. These lots will be allotted to several contractors on a trial basis, and if citizens use them they will be tendered for a further two years.”
According to the policy, you can expect to pay up to 200 per cent more to park at civic-run pay-and-park lots. The policy also includes a residential permit scheme under which those living in south Mumbai will have to pay Rs1,800 a month to park on the road.
The civic body is also drafting tender documents to appoint contractors for the 92 on-street parking lots across the city, with the revised parking rates.
But even as the policy is implemented, the BMC has so far failed to improve parking infrastructure. They city has only 29 off-street parking lots, though another 50 are likely to be handed over by builders in exchange for additional floor space index (FSI) under the Development Control Regulations (1991).
A senior civic officer said, “This is an important step towards streamlining parking in the city. Many lots are used without any charges being paid to the BMC, and we are now looking to earn revenue from them.”
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