Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is considering a sharp increase in parking fees, with the highest proposed rates in congested areas reaching Rs 250 for cars and Rs 100 for two-wheelers for parking of up to 24 hours. The proposal, reported by Nav Gujarat Samay, would revise charges for multilevel, on-street and off-street parking across the city.
The existing parking fees were reportedly fixed around 2015-16 and have not been revised since. At present, two-wheelers are charged Rs 5 an hour and cars Rs 15 an hour at multilevel, on-road and off-road parking facilities operated or provided through the civic system.
The proposed revision would take account of the parking facility, municipal zone, traffic density and location, according to the report. Municipal sources said the issue had been discussed at a meeting of senior officials, while a proposal has been prepared for revised rates.
For multilevel and off-street parking, the proposal recommends different charges for two-wheelers, including rates of Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 70 and Rs 100, depending on the applicable location or category. The report does not indicate that these rates have been approved or specify a final citywide schedule.
For ordinary on-street parking and parking under bridges, the proposal reportedly suggests a charge of Rs 15 for two-wheelers and Rs 30 for cars in the Central, North-West, South-West and West zones. The final charge would vary according to the zone and type of parking facility.
The steepest rates have been proposed for areas with heavy traffic. In these locations, one hour of parking would cost Rs 20 for a two-wheeler and Rs 40 for a car. For parking between one and three hours, the proposed charges are Rs 40 and Rs 80 respectively. Parking between three and six hours would cost Rs 60 for a two-wheeler and Rs 120 for a car.
For stays between six and 12 hours, the proposed rates are Rs 80 for two-wheelers and Rs 160 for cars. Parking for 12 to 24 hours would cost Rs 100 for a two-wheeler and Rs 250 for a car under the proposed schedule.
The proposed structure would make parking in high-demand areas substantially more expensive than the current hourly rates. It also indicates an attempt to differentiate charges by traffic pressure and facility type rather than applying a single rate across Ahmedabad.
The report did not state when the proposal would be placed before the competent civic authority for approval, whether public consultation would be held or when revised fees could come into effect. Until a formal decision is issued, the existing parking charges remain the reported operational rates.
