BMC panel gives nod for setting up Mumbai Parking Authority

Mumbai: The Mumbai civic body’s standing committee has approved the formation of the Mumbai Parking Authority to provide convenient, safe, and affordable parking facilities in the city which is facing a space crunch.

According to a release issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday, the formation of the authority was recommended in the Development Control and Promotion Regulation (2034), to regulate on-street and off-street parking in the city.

”In Mumbai, the problem of parking is getting worse day by day. To solve this problem, it is necessary to provide convenient, safe, and affordable parking lots in public places properly,” the release said.

The standing committee chaired by Yashwant Jadhav has cleared the proposal for appointing external service providers and expert panels to take necessary action for setting up the parking authority, the release said.

Former IAS officer Ramanath Jha has been appointed as an advisor for this procedure, while the Tata Institute of Social Science will facilitate the services of experts in related fields, it said.

The BMC’s additional municipal commissioner (projects) has been appointed as the parking commissioner for setting up the authority, the release said.

The expert panel set up for the formation of the proposed parking authority will be given nine tasks, which include studying legal aspects of the formation of the parking authority and creating a comprehensive plan for the management of parkings in all 24-civic wards of the city.

The panel will also help in policy formation, fixing parking rates, issues about traffic signs and boards, use of technology for parking management, creating city parking pools for proper use of government, commercial and residential properties for parking, and deployment of parking marshals, the release added.