Urban India’s Parking Woes: An Overview

Introduction India’s urbanisation is shaped by its overwhelming dependence on its metropolitan cities, home to 42.3 percent of its urban population. [1] This has resulted in high human density in over one million cities, averaging 20,713 persons per sq. km. [2] As urban populations grow and city economies expand, there has been a rise in the number of motor vehicles, primarily cars and two-wheelers, in urban areas. For instance, in 2020, Delhi had 11.89 million registered motor vehicles, Bengaluru had 9.64 million, Chennai had 6.35 million, Ahmedabad had 4.57 million, Mumbai had 3.88 million, Hyderabad had 3.24 million, and Jaipur had 3.17 million. [3] This has also resulted in congestion because much of the road is used to park vehicles. As traffic congestion increases, obstructing mobility in cities, commuters spend more and more time on their daily commutes. This creates frustration from a sense of powerlessness over the situation and adverse economic and social consequences. [4] While such situations have typically prompted public anger at the state of traffic in many cities, some citizens have also attempted to address the issue through public discussions. For instance, over the years, citizens’ meetings on traffic-related challenges and solutions have been held in Vadodara (Gujarat), [5] Ludhiana (Punjab), [6] Pune (Maharashtra), [7] and Mangaluru [8] and Bengaluru [9] (Karnataka). Matters related to motor vehicles in India come under the purview of both the Centre and the states (and not city governments). Although vehicular congestion is an emerging problem for India’s cities, the automobile industry is likely to remain unrestricted as, given its substantial economic and employment potential, it is vital for India. [10] At the beginning of 2023, India surpassed Japan to become the third-largest automobile market in the world, logging 4.25 million new car sales. [11] In 2021, the sector accounted for 8 percent of India’s total exports, 7.1 percent of its GDP, and generated 37 million jobs. [12] By 2023, India was also the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, the third-largest manufacturer of heavy trucks, and the fourth-largest car manufacturer. [13] The automobile sector is also valuable for India’s states, with motor vehicle tax being one of their most healthy revenue sources. For instance, in 2023, the Delhi government collected INR 2,9160 mn, registering a 17 percent year-on-year growth. [14] At the same time, there also appears to be no thinking towards imposing a cap on the number of cars in a city. As such, cities now have no alternative but to prepare to tackle the increasing traffic congestors operating within their geographical limits. Several cities have begun considering parking organisation as a tool to manage the worsening situations. This brief assesses the parking policy documents of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune, and Mumbai, and discusses the likely obstacles and potential solutions to alleviating the situation.