Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s parking diktat caught in a jam

Ahmedabad: The AMC's April 4 notice making it mandatory for commercial complexes to earmark parking spaces for visitors seems to have been caught in a jam.On CG Road, Sindhu Bhavan Road, and other commercial corridors, visitors are still forced to park far from their destinations and walk long distances in 40+ degree heat. Many buildings have failed to clear basement encroachments, leading to a lack of "usable parking" despite sanctioned spaces. At complexes such as Times Square on CG Road, the parking crunch becomes especially acute after office hours and on holidays. A paid parking facility on CG Road run by the local body was shut before the recent civic election. The facility, expected to open shortly, has numberplate recognition cameras, and charges a fee of Rs 20 per hour. As commuters are fined for illegal parking, some citizens say enforcement disproportionately targets motorists rather than defaulting buildings. "Complexes are being built and that's great," said Ankita Vohra, a commuter who faces parking woes regularly. "But I really wish there were a better parking system. I have to park far away from my destination because of lack of space." The AMC directive says that building owners' associations are legally required to ensure that both members' and visitors' vehicles are parked strictly within the premises. Associations must appoint dedicated parking personnel, install clear signage, and mark parking bays with painted strips. They have also been instructed to remove obstructions such as level differences, ornamental landscaping, encroachments and raised platforms within basements and building margins. The AMC has warned developers that continued violations — especially parking on footpaths and public roads — could lead to suspension of building use permissions. Jay Thakkar, another commuter routinely hit by parking problems, said, "I have lost count of how many times I had to park at least 400 metres away from my destination." He said, "My car has been towed away or locked so many times, and then there's the fine too." To tighten compliance, the AMC has made it mandatory for building chairpersons to submit an annual self-declaration certificate to zonal offices, confirming that parking areas are encroachment-free. The civic body is also pushing digital integration through the AMDAPARK app, requiring parking entries to be logged so availability can be viewed in real time. Security staff witness the fallout daily. "Parking becomes a hassle in the evenings and on holidays," said Bunty Kumar Oza of Sankalp Square 3B.
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