Pune: ‘Provide Basic Amenities First’: Housing Federation Opposes PCMC’s Pay-and-Park Policy

Pune, 12th August 2026 : The Chikhali-Moshi-Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Society Federation has strongly opposed the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) decision to introduce a pay-and-park policy in the city, arguing that citizens should not be made to bear an additional financial burden when several basic civic amenities remain inadequate.

The PCMC Standing Committee on Wednesday approved the pay-and-park parking policy for the city, covering parking facilities on roads as well as off-street parking spaces.

The federation said the civic body should first ensure adequate and quality basic amenities such as roads, water supply, drainage and garbage management before imposing parking charges on residents.

Several parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad continue to face poor road conditions, with potholes reported across the city. The federation also alleged that despite poor-quality road works, concrete action was not being taken against contractors responsible for substandard construction.

The federation questioned why citizens should have to pay to park their vehicles in their own city when they already pay various taxes and civic charges to the municipal corporation.

It demanded that available parking facilities be kept free of charge as far as possible and said the civic body should resolve longstanding infrastructure and service-related issues before introducing parking fees.

“Parking for citizens’ vehicles should ideally be free. Before implementing the pay-and-park policy, the municipal corporation should resolve issues related to roads, water supply, drainage, garbage management and other basic amenities. The federation will not tolerate a system where citizens are charged various fees without being provided adequate services. We strongly oppose this policy and will continue to raise the issue in the interest of citizens,” said Sanjeevan Sangle, president of the Chikhali-Moshi-Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Society Federation.

Sangle said citizens were already paying various taxes to the civic body and imposing an additional parking charge would amount to placing an unnecessary financial burden on them.

“The municipal corporation should first provide citizens with the basic amenities they need in a quality manner. Looking at the condition of roads in the city, in many places it is difficult to tell whether there are roads or potholes. There appears to be no strict action against contractors carrying out substandard work. In such a situation, forcing citizens to pay for parking is not appropriate,” he said.

The federation maintained that the civic body should focus on improving existing infrastructure and services rather than seeking additional revenue from residents through parking charges.