Punjab and Haryana High Court issues notice to GMADA over Mohali parking crisis
Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi, the petitioner in this case, argued that basements meant for parking were being used as labs by various hospitals in Mohali.
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Despite filing Right To Information (RTI) applications and serving a legal notice to authorities, Bedi said no remedial action had been taken.The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently issued a notice to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) on a petition highlighting the parking crisis in Mohali.
The Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Kuljit Singh Bedi, Deputy Mayor, Mohali Municipal Corporation, known for multiple PILs on issues ranging from garbage management to liquor vending zones.
In his plea, Bedi argued that Mohali’s “unchecked parking crisis” had become a threat to public safety. “Despite the city having been developed with a vision, including a Master Plan covering up to 128 sectors, the parking policies – designed decades ago – have not kept pace with the city’s rapid development,” the petition stated.
Drawing attention to the ‘misuse’ of spaces earmarked for parking, Bedi alleged that “basements of hospitals, which were sanctioned solely for parking purposes, have been converted into laboratories and other facilities,” thereby squeezing public parking availability and worsening congestion. The petition included photographs and news clippings to substantiate this claim.
Bedi also cited several violent incidents to underscore the gravity of the issue, including the fatal shooting of a local lawyer in 2013, the stabbing of a youth in November 2024, and the killing of a scientist in March 2025 – all allegedly triggered by parking disputes. “The failure to manage parking not only causes inconvenience but also poses significant risks to public safety,” he submitted.
Despite filing Right To Information (RTI) applications and serving a legal notice to authorities, Bedi said no remedial action had been taken. The petition called on the court to direct GMADA and other authorities to revise and strictly implement modern parking policies. Filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, the PIL sought judicial intervention as “a last resort to compel effective action and safeguard the welfare of Mohali’s citizens.”
The court has now sought GMADA’s response.
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