BMC to award parking lots contract to women SHGs, unemployed

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to award contract of its parking lots to women self-help groups and unemployed youth, said a senior civic official.
"The new parking lot policy is ready and the tender will be floated by next week and if everything goes as per our plan, then implementation of the policy would take off by the end of next month," assistant municipal commissioner, A ward, Kiran Dighvakar said.
Currently, BMC has a total of 91 parking places across the metropolis and south Mumbai alone has 54 parking spots.
"We used to receive lot of complaints from the public about overcharging and rude behaviour of the parking lot operators, besides, they were having a monopoly," Dighavakar said, adding, recently these parking contractors even misbehaved with a senior police officer.

He hoped a jump in revenue from parking lots since fees have been revised upwards recently.
"We hope to mop up Rs 2 to 2.5 crore per month through parking charges," the official added.
According to another BMC official, once the lots are allotted to self-help groups, designated pay-and-park sites will have prominent boards displaying the charges.
"To facilitate motorists and to boost tourism, no parking charges will be levied at public places like Girgaum and Juhu Chowpatty and the Gateway of India," the official said.