Parking Rules & Regulations in India

None of the Indian metropolises is immune to the demon of parking woes. So, when Enrique Peñalosa remarked, ‘A city can be friendly to people, or it can be friendly to cars, but it can’t be both’, we feel there is a grain of truth in there for India.

The rapid urbanisation and infrastructural development that have emanated from economic growth and population explosion have triggered a plethora of other issues. Parking is one of the most pressing issues from among those.

With the New Motor Vehicle Act of 2019 imposing huge penalties, there is tremendous pressure on people for not breaking the laws. But unfortunately, most people do not realise if they happen to violate any law. This goes without saying for people who park their vehicles improperly or illegally.

Hence, one must have a better understanding of the parking rules to avoid paying hefty penalties. And this article helps you with just that.

Parking Rules in India

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 Vehicle 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

No Parking Fines in India

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 INR 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 INR 200 and INR 2000 (depending on your vehicle). In Bangalore, parking in a ‘no parking’ area has fines starting from INR 1000.

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

Enforcement of Stricter Rules

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, restrict parking in certain areas can also be taken into consideration.

Technology to Solve Parking Problems

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 motor vehicle act to understand the fines that can be levied on you and your vehicle. You can read more about the New Motor Vehicle Act of 2019 and understand how to take care of your vehicle best.  

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