No Parking Spot, No Car Registration: State's Traffic Plan To Curb Congestion in Mumbai

The Maharashtra government is considering a new policy to control rising traffic congestion and air pollution. This proposal would require owners of four-wheelers to prove ownership of both public and private parking spaces before registering their new vehicles. 

The plan, known as the Certified Parking Area (CPA) initiative, will require buyers to present a CPA certificate during the registration process. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will issue the CPA certificates, and the state transport department will certify them in Mumbai. 

On December 30, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed the proposal as part of a 100-day reform program. State Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar authored the proposal, citing a sharp increase in vehicles as a key reason behind parking challenges and traffic congestion. 

The initial meeting for the policy took place on Wednesday. As per a report by HT, the chief minister has also approved the proposal and asked for revisions. 

The plan will begin by identifying public and private parking spaces within cities. Local authorities and the cooperation department will help resolve parking disputes within housing societies. Where necessary, authorities will find new parking facilities to bridge the gap. The transport department will work on this. 

This rule will apply to new car registrations. However, car owners seeking to renew fitness certificates for vehicles older than 15 years will also need a CPA certificate. The policy will not apply to two- and three-wheelers.

Furthermore, stakeholders from cooperative housing societies, the housing ministry, the public works department (PWD), the urban development department, and civic bodies will collaborate with transportation experts, academics, and organizations like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to implement the plan. 

Global practices from different cities have inspired the CPA initiative. The transport department studied policies from cities like Singapore, London, Tokyo, New York, and Zurich. It also reviewed China’s license plate auctioning system to limit rush-hour vehicle entry and Zurich’s time-based parking slot allocation.