Mumbai struggles to find parking space

The BMC authorities have decided to impose Rs500 fine to car owners “obstructing their cleanliness drive”. Residents and car owners are up in the arms. The question remains: Does the city have enough space to park cars?

If one looks at the statistics, the answer is ‘No”.

Have a look: There are more than 15 lakh cars spilling on the roads every day, but there is parking space for only 8,000. Thanks to the 100-odd pay-and-park areas across the city.

According to the statistics maintained by the Regional Transport Office, the vehicular density in Mumbai is 591 vehicles psqm as against 163 vehicles per sqkm in New Delhi.
Interestingly or shockingly, the international average vehicular density stands at 300 vehicles per sqkm. “Where does the city have the space for us to park cars?” asked Nitin Dossa, the executive chairman of the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA).

There are certain residential complexes, business houses which have in-house car parks. “But the middle class, which can afford a car (with standard of living improving), has nowhere to park. For instance, the Air India building or even the Bombay Stock Exchange is not allowing the cars to be parked on the premises after the 1993 bomb blasts,” said Dossa.

Shirish Choubal, who works with an MNC in Andheri said, “Every time, we have to struggle to find  parking space.Owning a car was considered as leisure but today it is a necessity.”

“We lack adequate parking space, and there is no improvement in the public mode of transport either. If the government wants to reduce choc-a-bloc scene on the roads, they have to improve the modes of transportation,” Choubal said.

In November 2006, the BMC propagated underground, air-conditioned and computerised multi-tier parking lots in places like Hutatma Chowk, Crawford Market and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk. And the three car parks can accommodate 2,000 cars spread over 70,000 square meters.

“Inadequate car parks cause traffic snarls at various places. It becomes difficult for traffic cops to clear the traffic especially on congested roads with cars parked on either side,” said a traffic personnel.

The Mumbai traffic police urged the BEST undertaking to let out their bus depot space as parking lot during the day when the entire fleet is out on the roads. While the BEST has let out two of its depots for parking —Marol and Ghatkopar depot — the situation does not seem to improve.