Developers gave back only 9 per cent parking spaces

Mumbai: While the city faces a shortage of parking spaces, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) scheme of developing public parking lots by offering additional incentive floor space index (FSI) to developers has failed to achieve the desired results. The civic body has managed to get only nine per cent parking spaces (4,264 parking spaces out of the 46,366) in the last nine years under this scheme.

In 2008, the BMC under Development Control Rules (DCR) 33(24) had sanctioned 61 proposals of public parking lots. The DCR clause deals with the development of multi-storied public parking lots (PPL) on private plots in lieu of additional incentive floor space index (FSI).

However, only nine parking lots — containing 4,264 parking spaces — have been handed over to the BMC by developers under this scheme so far. Of them, 1,051 are in the island city, 2,903 in eastern suburbs and 310 in western suburbs. Another nine parking lots having 6,489 spaces have also been completed, but are yet to be handed over, said civic officials.

But the civic officials denied that the BMC is facing loss in the scheme. “The FSI will be given to the developers only after they hand over parking lots to the BMC. We are also charging a premium on the FSI,” said a senior civic official from the roads department.

The official alleged that people are not willing to make use of public parking lots. “The BMC has made available 847 parking spaces at Apollo Mills (Lower Parel), 204 at Altamount Road and 1,269 spaces near Nahur railway station. We are even offering facilities like monthly passes and night discount at these lots. But still, people prefer to park their expensive vehicles on roads instead of paying for the parking lots,” he added.