The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) April 4 notice requiring commercial complexes to reserve parking spaces for visitors appears to be stuck in a jam. On CG Road, Sindhu Bhavan Road, and other commercial corridors, visitors are still forced to park far from their destinations and walk long distances in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Many buildings have failed to clear basement encroachments, resulting in a lack of usable parking despite sanctioned spaces. At complexes such as Times Square on CG Road, the parking crunch becomes especially acute after office hours and on holidays. A paid parking facility on CG Road run by the local body was shut before the recent civic election. The facility, expected to open shortly, features numberplate recognition cameras and charges a fee of Rs 20 per hour.
As commuters are fined for illegal parking, some citizens argue that enforcement disproportionately targets motorists rather than defaulting buildings. Ankita Vohra, a commuter who regularly faces parking woes, said: 'Complexes are being built and that's great. But I really wish there were a better parking system. I have to park far away from my destination because of lack of space.'
The AMC directive states that building owners' associations are legally required to ensure that both members' and visitors' vehicles are parked strictly within the premises. Associations must appoint dedicated parking personnel, install clear signage, and mark parking bays with painted strips. They have also been instructed to remove obstructions such as level differences, ornamental landscaping, encroachments, and raised platforms within basements and building margins. The AMC has warned developers that continued violations—especially parking on footpaths and public roads—could lead to suspension of building use permissions.
Jay Thakkar, another commuter routinely hit by parking problems, said: 'I have lost count of how many times I had to park at least 400 metres away from my destination. My car has been towed away or locked so many times, and then there's the fine too.'
To tighten compliance, the AMC has made it mandatory for building chairpersons to submit an annual self-declaration certificate to zonal offices, confirming that parking areas are encroachment-free. The civic body is also pushing digital integration through the AMDAPARK app, requiring parking entries to be logged so availability can be viewed in real time. Security staff witness the fallout daily. Bunty Kumar Oza of Sankalp Square 3B said: 'Parking becomes a hassle in the evenings and on holidays.'
