Anna Nagar Smart Parking plan: GCC to hike fee by three times for bikes, double for cars

CHENNAI: On-street parking fee is set for a steep rise in Anna Nagar, as the Greater Chennai Corporation is preparing to roll out its new Smart Parking Plan, under which, the charge for bikes will increase to Rs 15 per hour from Rs 5, while it will double for cars to Rs 40 from Rs 20.

Besides the higher fee, the plan will also introduce clamping for overstaying vehicles, levying daily impounding charges, and mandatory towing for any vehicle left parked for more than six hours.

The reforms are part of the Area Level Parking Management Plan prepared by CUMTA for a 6 sq km area bounded by New Avadi Road, EVR Salai and the Inner Ring Road. The project will be executed by a private concessionaire on a build–operate–transfer model for five years. Under this, 2,100 Equivalent Car Spaces (ECS) will be managed digitally through CUMTA’s parking software and supervised by a dedicated local control centre.

Tightening enforcement, vehicles overstaying between 11 minutes and three hours may be clamped, and will be released only after paying up Rs 100 for two-wheelers and Rs 300 for cars. Beyond three hours and up to six hours, clamping charges will be added to regular parking fees. Any vehicle parked beyond six hours will be towed away, with charges fixed at Rs 225 for two-wheelers, Rs 450 for cars and up to Rs 800 for commercial vehicles. Impounding fees will range from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day, depending on the vehicle category.

No-parking violations will attract a fine of Rs 500. Officials say the stricter penalties are intended to discourage unauthorised parking and ensure smoother traffic movement on busy corridors. Phase I will cover primary and secondary roads spread over 26 km, where the traffic and parking demand in the area is concentrated. Although surveys show a peak requirement of over 11,500 ECS, only about 2,100 ECS can be accommodated initially. Additional off-street parking facilities, including multi-level structures, will be developed by the government and brought under the concessionaire’s operations.

Welcoming the move, V Sandhya, secretary, Federation of Anna Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association, said, "The plan should be implemented as envisioned by CUMTA. It should not be diluted by the Chennai Corporation," she said.