Pune is a big city in Maharashtra and has grown very fast. Because of this growth, there have been many more parking fights. Between 2020 and 2023, the number of reported parking disputes has gone up by 47%.
One major reason for these fights is illegal parking. In 2023, the Traffic Control Branch recorded 2,873 parking-related arguments. To help solve these problems, city officials have made rules asking neighborhoods to keep records of parking spaces and form committees to settle disputes. But sadly, only 31% of neighborhoods are following these rules.
Most of the parking fights happen in crowded areas like Koregaon Park, Kothrud, and Kalyani Nagar. In these places, there are more cars than parking spots, with a ratio of 3 cars for every 1 parking space. The chances of having a parking dispute are higher between 9 AM and 11 AM, and again from 6 PM to 8 PM.
Since 2018, the number of cars in residential areas has increased by 156%. A survey showed that 72% of older residential buildings don’t have enough parking for all the cars, so people park on the streets.
The fights are getting worse, with 23% of disputes in 2023 involving physical fights, up from 12% in 2020. To help, the city has started a digital parking system where you can book parking spots using a mobile app, but only 28% of people are using it.
Local police have set up special teams in 18 police stations to handle parking disputes, dealing with about 42 complaints each day. This program is helping reduce serious fights by 33%. They also have parking workshops for residents, but only 2,456 people have attended since January 2023.
