Maharashtra Plans to Link Vehicle Ownership with Parking Availability to Reduce Traffic Congestion

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has proposed a new rule in Mumbai to link owning a vehicle with having a parking space available. This is to tackle the increasing traffic problems in cities like Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.

He suggested using a single digital platform for all parking areas to better manage public parking spaces that are often not fully used. Fadnavis mentioned a policy where people would need proof of parking before buying a vehicle if they don’t have a designated parking spot.

As an option, he proposed a smartphone app that would let people rent parking spaces if they don’t have their own. This idea aims to reduce illegal roadside parking, ease traffic congestion, and lower the risk of accidents.

Fadnavis also assured that he, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, would jointly oversee Raigad district’s administration to address any concerns.

The state government is also considering making it mandatory to show proof of a certified parking space when registering a new vehicle. This proposal is awaiting government approval.

During the event where he laid the foundation stone for the new RTO Parivahan Bhavan in Worli, Fadnavis mentioned efforts to phase out older vehicles to reduce pollution. This includes scrapping 18,000 government-owned vehicles using new automatic testing and scrapping centers.