PMC re-invites bids for ‘street pay-and-park’ initiative; FC Road, JM Road among six key stretches

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation is gearing up to revive its ‘street pay-and-park' initiative with a fresh round of bids for six of the city's most chaotic and high-traffic stretches — FC Road, JM Road, Laxmi Road, Vimannagar, Balewadi High Street and Bibvewadi. After the earlier tenders drew a lukewarm response, the civic administration has reworked key conditions and thrown the doors open again, hoping for better traction. If the renewed push succeeds, paid street parking could finally be a reality on these bustling roads — and sooner than commuters expect.
In the updated tenders, PMC has modified requirements related to installing digital display boards at parking spots, uploading real-time parking data and providing live website updates. Civic officials said these changes were aimed at drawing more bidders. "The six locations have been chosen for the pilot phase, with plans to appoint contractors for a three-year term. Parking fees will be fixed at Rs 4 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 20 per hour for four-wheelers. The move is expected to curb chaotic, unregulated parking on major roads, while generating over Rs 10 crore in annual revenue for the civic body," an official said.Though PMC has been considering an on-street pay-and-park system for several years, implementation has remained stalled. Commuters said lack of organised parking was a major issue across most parts of the city. With no proper checks, motorists often leave their vehicles haphazardly along roadsides, blocking traffic flow. Key routes like FC Road, JM Road and Laxmi Road see frequent double parking, illegal parking in "no parking" zones and vehicles occupying footpaths.The officials said the new system was expected to streamline parking along these arterial stretches. "Contractors will operate the parking spots round the clock, maintain transaction records and ensure fee collection. CCTV cameras will be installed on all stretches, and PMC will set up the necessary signage. More roads are likely to be added in the next phase," another official said.Regular commuters, however, stressed that while paid parking was being introduced, PMC must also ensure footpaths and open spaces remained free of encroachment. "This should not be treated merely as a revenue-generating mechanism. It is the administration's duty to keep footpaths clear. We expect PMC to enhance monitoring," Sanjay More, a resident of Sadashiv Peth, said.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !