No Parking, No Car: Maharashtra’s New Rule Targets Congestion Head-On

In a bid to address the mounting traffic and parking woes across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Maharashtra government has announced a new directive: no registration of new vehicles without proof of a designated parking space.

The announcement was made by Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Monday, following a high-level meeting concerning the state’s Unified Parking Policy. Under this new guideline, individuals purchasing new vehicles must now present a certificate of parking space allotment from the relevant civic body at the time of registration.

“We are looking to construct more parking spaces. Development rules must be followed, and developers must provide parking with residential units. We will not register new vehicles if the buyer doesn’t present a certificate of parking space allotment from the concerned civic body,” said Minister Sarnaik.

Tackling Congestion in MMR

This move comes amidst increasing concerns over the parking crisis and road congestion, particularly in Mumbai and its surrounding areas. With rising car ownership and limited urban space, illegal and haphazard parking has led to traffic bottlenecks, safety concerns, and growing frustration among residents.

The meeting, held at Mantralaya, was attended by senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Sanjay Sethi, Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, and municipal commissioners from across the MMRDA region.

Parking Policy Overhaul

Officials have confirmed that a Unified Parking Policy is in the works to streamline and regulate parking norms across cities in Maharashtra. The policy aims to ensure:

• Mandatory inclusion of parking spaces in all new residential and commercial developments
• Strict penalties for unauthorised parking
• Tow-away operations for long-abandoned or illegally parked vehicles
• Coordination between the Transport Department, Police, and Motor Vehicles Department for enforcement

Civic authorities are also being encouraged to construct dedicated parking plazas on land earmarked for development and public utility services.

Pod Taxi Updates

Apart from parking reforms, Minister Sarnaik also shared updates on Maharashtra’s interest in pod taxi networks. He mentioned that the state government had reviewed a proposal for a suspended pod-car transport system, after a visit to Vadodara, which is gearing up to introduce the world’s first commercially operational model.

Maharashtra is exploring similar systems for Mira-Bhayandar and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to improve last-mile metro connectivity.

Looking Ahead

The new parking mandate, once implemented, is expected to act as a check on vehicle saturation in urban areas without the matching infrastructure to support them. While it may pose an additional procedural step for car buyers, officials insist it’s a necessary step toward sustainable urban planning.

More details on the Unified Parking Policy and timelines for implementation are expected to follow in the coming weeks.