Nearly six years after first mooting it, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally set its smart parking project in motion, it is learnt.
The authority is now said to be in the final stages of finalising a consultant to develop a digital dashboard that will have details of all parking spaces in Mumbai, officials said, adding the interface will be made accessible to the public through a mobile application or web portal.
The BMC has been planning digitisation in the parking system since 2020. On Wednesday, the civic standing committee cleared the proposal to finalise the consultant. The BMC has earmarked an initial budget of Rs 3 crore for the project.
At present, the BMC operates over 350 on-street parking lots—where vehicles are allowed to park in and around the periphery of traffic islands, lanes, and bylanes—and 26 off-street parking lots—parking facilities in public and private institutions.
With vehicular movement on the rise, parking is a key civic issue in the city that is already battling land crunch. Among the metro cities, Mumbai has the highest vehicle density. According to government data, the city has 2,300 cars plying every kilometre of its roads. This figure has seen an exponential rise since 2019 (1,840 cars per kilometre) and 2014 (1,150 cars per kilometre).
Moreover, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) data show that 3.02 lakh vehicles were registered in Mumbai in 2025 alone—a jump of 8.24% from 2.79 lakh in 2024.
How will the interface work?
The new system proposes to include the BMC’s existing parking spaces and private ones, such as those in shopping malls and commercial plazas. The civic body also plans to rope in residential associations and use their parking spaces during the daytime.
Story continues below this ad
Motorists can access these details through the dashboard and make bookings accordingly through a mobile app.
“If someone is going to Colaba from Mahim, then he can see the parking facilities available at his destination and book a preferred location online. Once he is at the destination, the person can park their car without any hassle. The booking system will be like how we book seats in a movie theatre,” an official privy to the project told The Indian Express.
“There will be an official dashboard for the parking infrastructure. In case parking spaces run out, then people can opt for public transportation, which, in return, will also reduce traffic jams,” the official said.
The civic officials stated that the dashboard will be created in the next one year, and a pilot project will be launched in five wards—two in the western suburbs, two in the island city, and one in the eastern suburbs.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
