To address the growing traffic problems in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government is considering implementing a new policy. Under this policy, car buyers will need to provide details of parking arrangements before purchasing a vehicle. This decision aims to reduce Mumbai's traffic congestion by ensuring car owners have designated parking spaces.
In Mumbai alone, 2,64,324 private vehicles were registered in 2024, bringing the total number of vehicles in the city to over 48 lakh. Despite the construction of new roads, flyovers, and subways to improve infrastructure, the increasing number of vehicles has rendered these efforts insufficient. To counter this, the government plans to make registered parking spaces a prerequisite for car ownership. For those without parking arrangements, alternative solutions will be offered.
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Chief Minister Fadnavis, in an interview with CNBC-TV18, shared the government's approach: "We have created numerous public parking spaces in Mumbai, and we are now consolidating all parking information into a single app. If you don’t have a parking space, you can buy or rent one from the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Without a parking space, it will not be possible to purchase a vehicle and park it on the road."
The government is also working on a system to integrate public parking spaces across the city into the app, allowing car owners to either buy or rent parking slots. "You know how crowded the city is, and this leads to severe traffic jams. We are actively planning this system, which will be implemented soon," added Fadnavis.
The policy aims to curb the illegal parking of vehicles on public roads, which has been a significant contributor to traffic congestion. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of proper parking management as a vital step in alleviating Mumbai's traffic issues.