Parking First, Car Next: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis hints at new policy to tackle Mumbai's traffic woes

Fadnavis noted that the implementation of this policy could happen soon.

The Maharashtra government is contemplating a new policy requiring prospective car buyers to have access to a dedicated parking space before they can purchase a vehicle. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis discussed this initiative in an interview with CNBC-TV18, saying it is part of the government's strategy to reduce traffic congestion in Mumbai. He mentioned, "We have developed numerous public parking facilities in the city, which can now be accessed via a dedicated app."

The goal of this policy is to ensure that car owners have a designated parking area, whether by purchasing or renting one from the Municipal Corporation since indiscriminate parking contributes significantly to traffic issues.

Fadnavis noted that the implementation of this policy could happen soon. However, he did not provide additional details regarding the public parking initiative or plans to ensure sufficient parking availability in private buildings, which could help discourage residents from parking on public roads, the CNBC-TV18 report added.

In another context, the chief minister expressed his belief that Mumbai is the safest city in India, despite criticism from opposition parties regarding law and order issues, especially following an incident where actor Saif Ali Khan was assaulted at his residence in Bandra. Fadnavis stated in an interview with Moneycontrol during the World Economic Forum in Davos, "Even one incident is serious, and we take it seriously. However, when we compare metropolitan areas across India, Mumbai stands out as the safest."

Acknowledging that Mumbai has lost businesses and tech talent to cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Fadnavis asserted that the development of Navi Mumbai and a “Third Mumbai” is crucial for addressing high real estate costs and retaining talent. While speaking to Moneycontrol, he mentioned, "In the past, we lost businesses to Bengaluru and Hyderabad due to escalating real estate prices. For the IT sector, there is a price ceiling beyond which companies cannot go. Real estate in Mumbai is very costly."

According to Fadnavis, the situation is improving. Since taking office following the BJP-led NDA’s significant victory in the assembly elections last November, he noted, "Now, with the Atal Setu bridge connecting Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, travel time from Nariman Point to Navi Mumbai has been cut down to just 30 minutes."

Furthermore, he shared plans for developing a 'Third Mumbai' between Navi Mumbai and the Raigad districts, which will be three times larger than the current Mumbai and is designed to accommodate 60% of the city's data center capacity.