Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik Calls For Unified Parking Policy To Ease Traffic Woes Across MMR

Mumbai: In a bid to curb worsening traffic congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has urged the Urban Development Department to amend its existing policies and introduce a comprehensive, integrated parking framework.

The proposed reforms aim to bring structure to the region’s parking systems and ensure smoother vehicular movement in one of the country’s most densely populated urban areas.

The call for policy changes was made during a high-level meeting held at Mantralaya, where Minister Sarnaik convened with municipal commissioners and senior officials to deliberate on urban mobility and infrastructure development.

The meeting was attended by top functionaries including Additional Transport Secretary Sanjay Sethi, Additional Urban Development Secretary Asim Gupta, Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, and civic chiefs from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Mira-Bhayandar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, and Vasai-Virar.

Sarnaik emphasized the urgent need for a standardized, region-wide parking policy to be adopted by all municipal bodies under the MMR. He directed the Urban Development Department to circulate a revised draft policy featuring 14 strategic recommendations to streamline parking infrastructure and mitigate traffic snarls.

One of the key concerns raised during the meeting was the rampant unauthorized on-street parking that clogs major roads. Additional Urban Development Secretary Asim Gupta highlighted this as a primary contributor to congestion and proposed several practical interventions, including the creation of Pay-and-Park facilities on open plots and the strategic use of private premises — particularly housing societies — during off-peak hours from midnight to 6 AM.

Gupta also proposed the introduction of alternate-day parking schemes on wider roads to decongest traffic corridors. He further suggested leveraging technology by making all Pay-and-Park zones Fastag-enabled, facilitating automated access and digital payments to reduce manual processes and enhance user convenience.

Minister Sarnaik also underscored the importance of affordability in parking charges, stating that reasonable pricing would encourage citizens to use designated parking facilities instead of illegally parking on roadsides. He pointed out that accessibility and cost-effectiveness are crucial for ensuring public cooperation.

Given the space constraints in MMR’s rapidly growing cities, Sarnaik advocated for innovative solutions such as underground parking facilities, especially beneath public parks and gardens. He cited the Thane Municipal Corporation’s underground parking project as a successful example that other cities in the region could replicate.