Ahmedabad Revises Parking Rates After 11 Years; New Charges Likely From December

Ahmedabad motorists will have to pay higher parking charges as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has approved a revised parking rate structure, ending an 11-year gap since the last revision in 2015.

The proposal was approved with modifications at the Standing Committee meeting on Thursday. A key change is the introduction of a three-year review cycle, allowing the civic body to increase or reduce parking charges depending on prevailing requirements and circumstances.

However, the revised rates will not come into effect immediately. The proposal will first be placed before the AMC Board for final approval. If cleared, the new charges are expected to be implemented from the beginning of December.

Two-Wheeler Parking Rates Revised

Under the revised structure, the first-hour parking charge for two-wheelers has been doubled from ₹5 to ₹10. However, the Standing Committee approved lower charges for longer durations than those initially proposed by the Municipal Commissioner.

Parking charges have also been revised for four-wheelers, medium commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles. Two new categories — three-wheelers and light commercial vehicles — have been introduced for the first time.

Uniform Rates For On-Street And Off-Street Parking

Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel said the revision of parking rates and licence fees was aimed at streamlining Ahmedabad's parking system and bringing consistency to charges across the city.

Under the existing policy, parking rates vary across locations. The revised system provides for uniform charges at off-street parking facilities, on-street parking locations and high-congestion areas. It also introduces a mandatory review of rates every three years.

Patel said some parking facilities were still operating under contracts based on the old rate structure. Applying the revised charges only at newly tendered locations could result in different rates at neighbouring parking sites, causing inconvenience to citizens and creating disparities.

AMC To Consult Existing Parking Contractors

To avoid such differences, the civic body plans to hold discussions with existing parking contractors and persuade them to adopt the revised rates instead of restricting the new structure to fresh tenders.

The extent to which licence fees paid by contractors to the Corporation can be increased will also be decided after consultations.

Explaining the proposed adjustment, Patel said that if a parking facility currently charges ₹10 per vehicle and the revised rate is ₹15, the licence fee payable to the Corporation would also need to be adjusted accordingly.

For contracts that still have time left — whether one month or one year — the revised licence fee will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, taking into account the remaining contract period.

Where contracts have already been awarded and are yet to expire, the AMC will take further action after consulting the respective contractors.

The objective, Patel said, is to establish a uniform rate structure across parking locations while ensuring an appropriate increase in the Corporation's revenue.

AMC Seeks To Encourage Public Transport Use

Patel said the Corporation would also prioritise encouraging citizens to use public transport rather than depend on private vehicles.

The AMC has initiated efforts to increase the number of buses and improve last-mile connectivity as part of this approach.

The revised parking proposal will now be placed before the AMC Board. The new rates will come into force only after receiving its final approval.