Parking Rules in India

One of the most difficult problems that arise with the rapid growth of infrastructure and urbanisation is the shortage of parking spaces and lots. As the growth of population and the number of vehicles are on the rise, parking issues are not going down anytime soon. In such a scenario , citizens must be aware of the parking rules in India to avoid massive penalties and punishments. The New Motor Vehicles Act of 2019 adds to the parking rules and regulations in India, and one must be aware of them to keep your traffic knowledge up to date.

Most people in India are unaware of the parking rules. Here’s a list of parking rules in India that you must follow according to the New Motor Vehicles Act, 2019:

1. Do not abandon or park your vehicle/trailer at a public place where it may cause obstruction, inconvenience, or puts other people in danger.

2. Ensure that you are parking your vehicle according to the road signs or markings (if any) that indicates the manner of parking.

3. You cannot park your vehicle -

• In the no parking zone or places in which parking is prohibited

• On footpaths or far away from the footpaths

• On private properties without the owner’s consent

• On the main road or roads with high-speed traffic

• On the wrong side of the road

• On the path that has unbroken white lines in the centre

• In front of the entrance of any premises

• Near bus stops, schools, or hospital entrances

• In front of any road signs that could possibly be obstructed with your vehicle

• Near road crossings, a bend, top of a hill, or near/and on the bridge

• Near any traffic signal or pedestrian crossings

If you happen to park your vehicle in any manner, as stated above, you will have to pay the penalty. As a matter of fact, parking fines are different in different Indian cities. The heftiest fines are imposed in metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi NCR.

The parking fines in New Delhi begin at ₹500 if you park illegally or obstructively. Moreover, if your vehicle is towed, you are liable to pay the towing charges as well, which range between ₹200 and ₹2000 (depending on your vehicle). In Bangalore, parking in a ‘no parking’ area has fines starting from ₹1000.

In Mumbai city, the BMC has announced that parking-related penalties will be ranging between ₹5000 and ₹8300 for two-wheelers. The same goes up to ₹11,000 to ₹17,600 for medium vehicles, ₹10,000 to ₹15,100 for light motors, and ₹8000 to ₹12,200 for three-wheelers. Also, you will be liable to pay late payment charges over and above the existing penalty rates.

To ensure that people are following traffic safety as well as the parking rules in India, there is a need for the implementation of stricter rules. However, there is a limit to which the police can enforce the same.

The challenging part is to enforce the current rules effectively by monitoring parking situations. As a matter of fact, lack of resources and adequate technology makes enforcement weak in most cities in India. Solving these issues entails creating several by-laws.

One aspect that can help us combat parking space issues is to encourage people to use public transport. Authorities also need to take into consideration the growing number of vehicles on Indian roads. To intervene this, mechanisms such as hiking parking fees, congestion taxes, and restricting parking in certain areas can also be taken into consideration.

Due to the lack of rules regarding parking space issues in India, people alone cannot be blamed entirely for their lack of traffic knowledge. In fact, companies that collect parking data can come in handy.

With appropriate data sets, people will know what illegal parking is and what penalties are charged when found guilty of it. Moreover, they will know public parking fees and tend to utilise the space for safer vehicle parking.

As of now, such aggregation technology is not available in India, and hence there are rising parking issues and violations on a daily basis. With the absence of such technology, the Indian roads might have to face more congestion and traffic/parking rule offences causing serious life hazards.

Lastly, you should know section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act to understand the fines that can be levied on you and your vehicle. You can read more about the New Motor Vehicles Act of 2019 and understand how to take care of your vehicle best.

Illegal parking is a contentious issue, and BMC has been fining people rather proactively since the implementation of this rule. Parking woes in cities like Mumbai are several. According to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) figures, there are over 32 lakh vehicles in the city. This is bound to create chaos when all these vehicles ply on the roads: most people park their vehicles along footpaths and roadside causing huge obstruction to pedestrians and other motorists. 

This penalty will also help to generate awareness about the actual parking spaces. BMC has Public Parking Lots but they are not used either due to lack of awareness or people want to save time and money by illegally parking on roadside rather than going to PPLs.

As per the notice, the implementation of the new rules started initially around the dense traffic areas and localities having sufficient alternative parking facilities and gradually the new parking rules extended to all other areas of the city. 

You should know section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act to understand the fines that can be levied on you and your vehicle.

Summarily, here’s what you need to know: any vehicles found parked within 500 metres of public parking lots (PPL) and 20 designated BESTS depots in the city, will be slapped with a fine. The rule has been introduced to deter people who tend to park their vehicles on roads rather than using the available parking lots. Or those who leave their vehicles in unauthorised spaces. This is a menace because such congestion can trigger an insane traffic jam. A vehicle in violation will also be towed away, and the driver will be slapped with a monumental fine, with a separate penalty for late payment.