In a bid to tackle Ahmedabad's worsening traffic snarls, the AMC has rolled out strict new parking guidelines, making it mandatory for all vehicles to be parked only within designated areas of residential and commercial premises, including shopping malls.
Parking on municipal roads, outside building complexes or on footpaths will invite penal action besides stiff fines.
The AMC issued the directives on Sunday, underlining that clear signage indicating parking areas must be installed and parking lines marked. A pilot project in Vastrapur, near Sandesh
Press Road, where such markings were introduced, has yielded encouraging results. Buoyed by its success, the civic body plans to replicate the model on other roads to streamline parking.
Under the new norms, responsibility has been squarely placed on building owners and managements to ensure that vehicles are not parked on municipal roads, footpaths or junctions. Tenants and visitors will also be barred from parking in front of buildings. "Owners will have to make strict arrangements to ensure compliance," a DyMC from the estate department said.
Premises owners must clearly demarcate parking spaces within their compounds and remove obstructions such as cables, barricades or other impediments that hinder vehicle movement. Loading and unloading of goods on the front margin of buildings or along road margins will also be prohibited.
Commercial buildings and shopping complexes have been instructed to deploy security guards to regulate parking, while larger complexes will be required to arrange valet parking. The AMC has warned that repeated violations could lead to stringent action, including the sealing of premises.
10 model roads identified
As part of this drive, the civic body has identified 10 roads across the North and South West zones to be developed as 'model' roads. These stretches will feature organised parking, be kept garbage-free and be closely monitored by teams from the solid waste management and estate departments. Littering will attract fines, while illegally parked vehicles will be locked.
The roads selected are: Prahladnagar to Shyamal; Shivranjani to Iscon; Corporate Road; Bopal-Ambli (South West Zone portion); Rajarshi Muni Road; LJ College Road; Arose to Cliantha Road; Karnavati Club to Ring Road; Sobo to Marigold Circle; and the Iskcon to Prahladnagar service road.