The BMC will now start implementation of the no-parking rule at five more roads in Mumbai

MUMBAI: In the almost two months since the BMC began implementing its new no-parking rule, over 1,300 vehicle owners have been penalised, adding over Rs 83.9 lakh to civic coffers.

The BMC began collecting steep penalties ranging from Rs 5,000 to even Rs 15,000 from motorists parking in no-parking zones from July 7, charging the new rates from vehicles parked within a 500-metre radius of pay-and-park lots. These public parking lots are in various locations around the city and suburbs.

Municipal officials said that while 1,301 vehicles had been towed away since the drive was kick-started, 978 of these vehicles had been released.

"The maximum penalty of Rs 71.08 lakh has been collected from four-wheelers, considering that 891 of these were towed during this period," a municipal official said. "We have our workers who patrol the area and we request vehicle drivers trying to park on the road not to do so as there is a parking lot nearby. It is only if they do not pay heed that we have to penalise them."

The BMC says the new penalty it imposes is backed by Section 314 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act for encroachment and that it may be applied to vehicles. The BMC says it also invokes Section 381 for the nuisance caused, which, too, it argues may be used for parked vehicles.

The official said the BMC was subsidising BEST bus travel to ensure people did not have to use private cars.

The BMC will now start implementation of the no-parking rule at five more roads in the city. The BMC is also looking into whether one lane can be turned into a pay-and-park space on arterial roads and crack down on parking anywere else around it.

