NMC drafts 'pay and park' policy to turn vacant land into parking hubs in Nagpur

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is preparing a comprehensive 'pay and park' policy for the city. The aim is to curb haphazard parking, reduce congestion on roads and keep traffic moving smoothly. Under the plan, the civic body is considering organised parking hubs on its vacant land, on school grounds after school hours, on open grounds, and in the space under or around flyovers.

The initiative is meant to go beyond ordinary roadside parking. It also seeks to generate income for the corporation by making better use of its existing assets.

The move follows a preliminary joint survey carried out with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic). The survey identified congested areas of Nagpur and the major roads where wrongly parked vehicles cause jams.

The survey also looked at nearby government and NMC sites that could be turned into regulated parking. Vehicles could then move off crowded roads to these sites.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Ankit said the administration is working on the proposed framework. He said, "We are preparing a comprehensive parking policy to smooth the movement of vehicles and end haphazard parking, because of which the NMC is currently not getting its rightful revenue."

He also said the NMC is considering using NMC school grounds after school hours, using open civic grounds, and creating fixed parking spaces on one side of wide roads and near flyovers.

Before finalising the policy, the NMC is studying parking demand, vehicle capacity and fee structures in other large cities. Consultations with stakeholders are also planned.

According to Ankit, the proposal will be discussed at the upcoming general body meeting (GBM), after which the framework for implementation will be decided. The NMC aims to begin implementation before the winter session of the state legislature.

The proposed system is also expected to have a digital component. Under the plan, motorists will be able to check on a mobile dashboard, before leaving home, whether a parking space is vacant. This should cut needless circling in search of parking and make it easier to manage traffic in crowded areas.

The NMC has clarified that existing private parking operators will not be stopped, provided they follow NMC rules and do not block traffic.

The draft policy is being prepared and the NMC wants to launch it by the end of 2026. The final deadline and details of implementation will depend on the policy's approval process. If implemented effectively, it would make better use of the NMC's underused land in Nagpur, bring discipline to parking and give the corporation another source of revenue.