Mumbai: Helpline number to report illegal parking soon

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is working on various modes by which citizens can lodge complaints about abandoned or illegally-parked vehicles on the streets. The civic body will soon come up with a helpline number and email id to register complaints about such vehicles. 

Residents will have various options to lodge their complaint — from sending a WhatsApp message to mailing them.

Double parking, parking in no-parking zones and abandoned vehicles have been causing a nuisance by obstructing roads and traffic for quite some time. Many a time, residents have raised their voices against the menace, but they didn't have an official grievance redressal mechanism.

The move comes after the Tilak Nagar fire incident, where illegally parked vehicles along both sides of the narrow road posed a hurdle in fire fighting. Despite the fire department's efforts, fire engines could not enter building premises, and five senior citizens died in the blaze.

“Parking in narrow lanes has become rampant nowadays. The practice has to end,” said a BMC official.

To get a permanent solution, residents participation is important, believes the civic body. “We will provide the toll-free number, WhatsApp number and email id where residents can lodge their complaints about abandoned vehicles and illegal parking in internal roads,” said the official.

“Earlier, residents have complained about not having a number where they can lodge their complaints,” said the official. A circular will be sent to all wards within a month. 

The complaints from residents will be sent to ward office for action. “First, we will put a notice on abandoned vehicles and vehicles which are illegally parked. The owners have to remove the vehicles within a week or fortnight. If they fail, their vehicles will be towed away and fines will be imposed,” said the official.

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL

Raising a voice will put an end to the Menace

91 On street parking lot across Mumbai

47 Off street parking lot across Mumbai

Total capacity to park vehicles 20,000

Total number of vehicles as per the RTO 32lakh