To tackle traffic congestion across Mumbai and its suburbs, the Urban Development Department must introduce parking-specific amendments to urban policies within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) jurisdiction, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said. He was speaking during a meeting with municipal commissioners from the MMRDA region at Mantralaya.
Present at the meeting were Additional Transport Secretary Sanjay Sethi, Additional Urban Development Secretary Asim Gupta, Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, and the commissioners of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Panvel, Mira-Bhayandar, and Vasai-Virar municipal corporations.
Sarnaik said that moving forward, all municipal corporations will need to earmark dedicated parking spaces in their development plans. Accordingly, the Urban Development Department should update its rules and issue a revised framework of 14 recommendations to all civic bodies within the MMRDA limits.
Pay-and-park and underground parking facilities proposed
Speaking at the meeting, Additional Secretary Asim Gupta stressed the importance of curbing traffic jams caused by illegal roadside parking. He urged municipal bodies to establish pay-and-park facilities on open land within their jurisdiction.
He also recommended that municipalities explore pay-and-park options in private society compounds and private properties during off-peak hours (12 am to 6 am), with the consent of property owners.
On broader roads, Gupta proposed introducing alternate-day parking rules to ease congestion. He further advised the adoption of contactless parking solutions, such as FASTag-based systems, to improve convenience and compliance.
Public-friendly parking charges
Minister Sarnaik further insisted that parking charges must remain low to ensure they are affordable for the average citizen. This, he said, would encourage the use of authorised parking spaces over illegal ones.
Underground parking under parks and open spaces
Given the limited availability of land in metro areas, the minister suggested constructing underground parking facilities beneath gardens and parks. Citing the successful pilot model implemented by the Thane Municipal Corporation, Sarnaik urged other urban bodies to replicate the initiative to optimise land use.
New panel to be formed to resolve transporters` issues over traffic e-challans in Maharashtra: Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik
On Thursday, the Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik directed the formation of a new panel to address the issues faced by transporters due to the e-challan system, officials said on Thursday.
The committee will include officials from the Transport Department, police, and experts, along with representatives from transport associations, and is expected to submit its report within a month, they said.
The committee should also review speed limits, parking rules, and submit its findings in the report, Sarnaik said.
