A response by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to a letter sent by NGO Parisar regarding the status of implementation of the Pune’s parking policy stated that the policy has been passed by its General Body Meeting vide resolution 1092 dated 23/3/2018, but it has not been implemented yet due to the Mayor’s unavailability for a meeting related to the issue.
It has been over two years since it was resolved that under the Chairmanship of the Mayor, a committee will be appointed to identify five streets in Pune to implement the policy on an experimental basis.
A report was to be submitted by the appointed committee within a period of six months. Neither has the report been produced, nor is there any initiative from any of the city authorities to carry forward the execution. The response letter states that the Corporation has tried to pursue the issue with the Mayor on several occasions, but the Mayor has not been available for discussion.
Pune Mayor Shri Murlidhar Mohol, had said in January 2019 that a decision on implementing the pilot project of the new parking policy which was approved in 2018, is on the anvil. Mohol and the then Pune municipal commissioner Shri Saurabh Rao had also held a meeting with top civic officials in the last week of December 2019 where it was decided that the policy would be implemented soon, at least as a pilot project on some major roads. No action has been taken till date. Parisar has also brought to the notice of the present Pune municipal Commissioner Shri Vikram Kumar the ongoings related to the implementation of the policy and requested for his intervention. Under Section 243(A) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, the Municipal Commissioner has the powers to decide the parking areas, as well as charge fees for parking, with the Corporation’s approval.
A makeshift parking lot in the core city area of Pune
Program Director of Parisar, Ranjit Gadgil said, “Cities around the world are talking of parking management, as cars are occupying valuable land spaces which can be used for housing, hospitals, parks, and community spaces instead. As traffic congestion grows in urban areas, it is imperative to have a good management system in place which will convenience not just the car users, but all users who occupy road space, like cyclists, bus commuters, pedestrians, etc.”
Air Quality coordinator of Parisar, Sharmila Deo said that there is a strong connection between having a parking policy and mitigating congestion and air pollution. “When offered free, parking spots are occupied (longer than they should) leading to indiscriminate and haphazard parking that creates traffic blocks and congestion. This in turn amounts to vehicles being on the road longer, thus emitting more pollutants. When a parking policy mandates paid parking, people are encouraged to reduce personal vehicle trips and use alternative methods of commute like pooling, using public transport, walking or cycling, or in some cases avoiding the trip altogether. This automatically reduces overall vehicular emissions. Air pollution is an unrecognised silent killer, and every step that can be taken to reduce it must be implemented to save citizens’ lives. In fact, taking cognizance of the severe air pollution in Delhi, the Supreme Court mandated a parking policy for Delhi to help curb private vehicle use, which was notified by the State Government under the Motor Vehicle Act and which calls for paid on-street parking”, she said.
The policy formulated by the PMC covers in detail the aspects of implementation, enforcement and management of public parking policy which include parking districts, on-street parking management, off-street parking structures, pricing, technology usage, revenue management etc.
Media Coverage
Two years on, Pune’s parking policy awaits implementation - Hindustan Times, 28th December, 2020