PAIN AND PARK
The number of private cars in the city has touched a dizzying two million, and the figures seem to be multiplying each day. To make matters worse, the city’s car parks are ill- managed affairs, where vehicles jostle for space. Keeping this in mind, MiD DAY will be bringing you a series of reports on Mumbai’s parking woes, trying to shed light on the various factors responsible for this growing crisis in the city. We will enquire into where, how and why commuters face parking problems. Remember, knowledge is power.
THE perennial parking crisis in the city of Mumbai is old news. The city’s parking lots set the example for mismanagement: honking cars jostle each other for space, hampering each other’s passage, motorists out shout each other, cars and tempers fume in simultaneity. But team MiD DAY’s investigations have thrown up some alarming figures, which are sure to send alarm bells honking, for not just car owners, but all citizens.
Facts and figures
According to the Mumbai Traffic police, there are nearly 20.8 lakh cars plying in the city streets, of which 1.8 lakh cars have been registered in the past one year itself. As many as 583 vehicles are adding strength to these numbers every day.
And to cater to the parking needs of these two million vehicles, there are only 30,000 public parking spaces. Yes, you heard that right. Two million cars, 30,000 parking slots: Now do the mental math and you will hit upon an alarmingly skewed ratio: 70 vehicles to one parking slot.
At the BMC’s 92 functioning parking lots in the city, under the ‘ pay and park’ schemes, there is space to accommodate 10,314 vehicles.
Alongside this, there is space for 3,000- 4,000 vehicles at the ward level parking lots.
In addition to this, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation ( MSRDC) has 21 flyovers, under which parking is allowed.
These flyovers can accommodate nearly 10,000 vehicles.
The MMRDA also has three parking lots, with a capacity of 1,700 vehicles. Add to this the parking space available at the airports for 2,250 vehicles. Add it all up, and you will realise that the two million vehicles in the city are jostling for only 30,000 parking slots.
Officialspeak
Deputy Commissioner of Police ( Traffic) Nandkumar Chougale said, “ Between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, 1.70 lakh new vehicles were registered at the three regional transport offices ( RTO) in Mumbai. This is alarming, because we don’t have enough parking space for such a dizzying number of automobiles. If the number of vehicles keep on increasing at this rate, then very soon a day will arrive when the Mumbai roads will come to a standstill.” Due to a parking space crunch in Central and South Mumbai, cabs and private bus owners often park illegally on the roads.
“ Internationally, the permissible volume of vehicles per kilometre is 300. But in Mumbai, the volume of vehicles per kilometer is 900. This is an alarming figure, and speaks volumes about the severe proportions that the problem of road congestion has taken,” said Chougale.
The BMC’s Chief Engineer ( Roads, bridges and traffic) Satish Badve said, “ We have reinvited tenders for the existing 92 parking spots in the city. At the ward level, we provide temporary parking spaces every six months. For this, proposals are accepted only if perceived as feasible.” However, he withheld comment on the parking crisis in the city, saying, “ I am not the competent authority to speak on this, but to improve the parking situation, we are planning to build multi- level parking lots in the city. We have already obtained permission for five such parking lots,” he said, adding, “ These five spots will be able to collectively accommodate upto 592 cars.
The most spacious car park would be constructed near Patkar College in Goregaon, with six levels, two of which are underground. This lot will have a capacity of 227 cars. A two level basement car parking lot would be coming up at Pali Hill in Bandra, which will have the capacity to hold 150 cars.
Another will be constructed in Jogeshwari near the JVLR flyover.
This will have 50- car capacity. The last one, in Nagpada will have space for 160 cars.”
* DID YOU KNOW?
MSRDC’s 21 flyovers in the city can provide parking space for nearly 10,000 cars