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Mumbai motorists may soon be able to reserve parking spaces online before starting their journey as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) moves ahead with its long-pending smart parking project.
BMC is close to appointing a consultant for the project which aims to create a unified digital parking system for Mumbai, The Indian Express reported. Through a mobile app and web portal, users will be able to check real-time parking availability and book spots in advance.
The idea of a citywide digital parking network was first proposed by the civic body in 2020 but the plan did not progress beyond the proposal stage. As per the report, the administration on April 1 placed a proposal before the standing committee to finalise the agency responsible for developing the system. The project has been given an initial allocation of ₹3 crore.
The move comes as Mumbai continues to face growing pressure from increasing numbers of vehicles and limited parking infrastructure. The report citing government data mentioned that the city has the highest vehicle density among metro cities with nearly 2,300 vehicles per kilometre. The figure was around 1,840 per kilometre in 2019 and close to 1,150 in 2014.
Transport department records also show that more than 3 lakh vehicles were registered in Mumbai in 2025 alone, compared to nearly 2.8 lakh registrations the previous year.
Currently, the BMC manages 26 off-street parking facilities across Mumbai. Under the proposed system, the civic body plans to combine municipal parking spaces with privately operated facilities located in malls, business centres and commercial buildings. Housing societies may also be encouraged to temporarily make unused parking slots available for public use during daytime hours.
According to officials, people travelling to busy areas will be able to check parking availability near their destination before leaving home. After selecting a suitable location, users can reserve a slot digitally and make payment online, avoiding the need to search for parking after arriving.
Civic officials believe the system could help reduce unnecessary vehicle movement caused by drivers looking for parking spots in crowded areas.
The smart parking platform is expected to be developed over the next year with a trial run planned in five civic wards covering south Mumbai, eastern suburbs and western suburbs.
Meanwhile, the BMC is also considering a revision in parking fees at all municipal parking facilities. A proposal seeking a 40% increase in charges has already received approval from the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) and is currently awaiting clearance from Municipal Commissioner
Ashwini Bhide
before being sent for further approvals, Mid-Day reported.
BMC is close to appointing a consultant for the project which aims to create a unified digital parking system for Mumbai, The Indian Express reported. Through a mobile app and web portal, users will be able to check real-time parking availability and book spots in advance.
The idea of a citywide digital parking network was first proposed by the civic body in 2020 but the plan did not progress beyond the proposal stage. As per the report, the administration on April 1 placed a proposal before the standing committee to finalise the agency responsible for developing the system. The project has been given an initial allocation of ₹3 crore.
The move comes as Mumbai continues to face growing pressure from increasing numbers of vehicles and limited parking infrastructure. The report citing government data mentioned that the city has the highest vehicle density among metro cities with nearly 2,300 vehicles per kilometre. The figure was around 1,840 per kilometre in 2019 and close to 1,150 in 2014.
Transport department records also show that more than 3 lakh vehicles were registered in Mumbai in 2025 alone, compared to nearly 2.8 lakh registrations the previous year.
Currently, the BMC manages 26 off-street parking facilities across Mumbai. Under the proposed system, the civic body plans to combine municipal parking spaces with privately operated facilities located in malls, business centres and commercial buildings. Housing societies may also be encouraged to temporarily make unused parking slots available for public use during daytime hours.
According to officials, people travelling to busy areas will be able to check parking availability near their destination before leaving home. After selecting a suitable location, users can reserve a slot digitally and make payment online, avoiding the need to search for parking after arriving.
Civic officials believe the system could help reduce unnecessary vehicle movement caused by drivers looking for parking spots in crowded areas.
The smart parking platform is expected to be developed over the next year with a trial run planned in five civic wards covering south Mumbai, eastern suburbs and western suburbs.
Meanwhile, the BMC is also considering a revision in parking fees at all municipal parking facilities. A proposal seeking a 40% increase in charges has already received approval from the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) and is currently awaiting clearance from Municipal Commissioner
