Pune: PMC plans to implement long-pending parking policy on select roads

“The PMC standing committee approved the parking policy in 2018 which included introducing a pay-and-park facility on major city roads. However, there was no political consensus on the issue so it was not implemented,” said a civic officer.

The PMC, now under administrator rule, is planning to get the parking policy implemented, he said, and added that the civic administration will finalise the strategy, including roads to be selected for paid parking on roads, after discussing with the city police.

As per the earlier proposal approved by the standing committee, the city has been divided into three zones based on the level of congestion — central business district areas, mobility corridors and the rest. The parking charges would be different for periods from 8 am to 10 pm and from 10 pm to 8 am. For two-wheelers, the hourly charges would be a minimum of Rs 2 per hour and a maximum of Rs 4 for on-street parking while it would be a minimum of Rs 1 and a maximum of Rs 3 for off-street parking. For the night, the charges would be fixed and not on an hourly basis.

Earlier, the civic administration had proposed a minimum of Rs 10 and a maximum of Rs 20 per hour for on-street parking of four-wheelers, and a minimum of Rs 7 and a maximum of Rs 14 per hour for two-wheelers for off-street parking.

For parking in front of old buildings, four-wheelers will be charged Rs 5 per day, and Rs 1,825 annually. In slum areas, fees for night parking would be Rs 2.50 per day and Rs 910 for a year. Those violating parking norms and not paying the charges would have to pay twice the amount, and if they fail to pay the charges again, they will have to pay four times the amount. Vehicles parked on a cycle track or spaces to park cycles would be penalised Rs 2,500.

The PMC parking policy was aimed to decongest city roads that are often cluttered with parked vehicles. “The policy will streamline parking and enable the efficient use of parking spaces. The highlight of the policy is that parking charges are based on the demand for parking space in a particular area, as against the geographical divisions in other cities,” he said.

According to the civic administration, Pune has the lowest parking rates compared to other cities. The city has over 40 lakh registered vehicles and sees an addition of 500 to 700 vehicles per day. The rising number of vehicles is causing traffic problems and contributing to pollution. Pune also witnesses around 160 accidental deaths on average every year. Even when roads are widened, it has little impact on the traffic woes, as large parts of the road are occupied by parked cars.