BMC implements optional ‘residential parking scheme’ as pilot project

Mumbai – The number of vehicles in the city is alarmingly high and people visiting the city with their vehicles also add to the parking woes of local residents. People who bought their vehicles by spending lakhs of rupees find no place to park their cars and other vehicles. The need of a specifically reserved parking space has become a necessity now and hence a unique scheme for ‘A’ ward residents in the city is being initiated by the BMC. This ‘Residential Parking Scheme’ is being implemented as a pilot project and if it works, then it will be implemented in other BMC wards, clarified the BMC administration.

Under this scheme, the residents who park their vehicles on road can now ‘reserve’ parking space on that road. The reserve parking space on that particular road will be reserved only for a year and this scheme is ‘optional’ and only those vehicle owners will be benefited under this scheme who will apply through their cooperating housing societies.

After securing No Objection Certificate from the police, the applicant of this scheme will have to pay a sum for the year and he will accordingly be communicated through the beneficiary’s ward office. The duration for parking vehicle at this reserved space will be for 12 hours (8 pm to 8 am) and the security guard of the particular cooperative housing society is expected to watch over the vehicle. “The Residential Parking Scheme is optional and being framed to provide a fixed parking space for the vehicle owners. This scheme will not be implemented on all roads,” informed Sanjay Darade, chief engineer (roads), BMC.

Parking facilities at tourist places

The area under Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has many tourist places. Lakhs of tourists visit these places throughout the year. The new parking policy of the civic body has considered this fact and it has included many tourists-friendly facilities in this policy. The provision of 50% concession in parking fees on public holidays and especially Sundays has been accepted by the BMC. The civic body has also planned to provide free parking facility at important tourist places such as Gateway of India, Juhu Chowpatty, Girgaum Chowpatty, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum etc.