BMC to refloat smart parking tender for Mumbai with revised conditions

Mumbai: The BMC will soon refloat a tender for the commissioning and maintenance of a smart parking system at on-street and off-street parking locations across the city under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, after cancelling the earlier tender due to an inadequate response despite several extensions.

“Under the earlier tender, operators were required to pay property tax for off-street public parking lots. We are doing away with that condition. We are also revising the financial eligibility criteria in the new tender. Besides, we are expecting ancillary revenue while implementing the project,” said a civic official.

The proposed project aims to introduce a seamless, technology-driven and user-friendly parking management system that will allow motorists to book parking slots in advance or on the go. The system is expected to help reduce traffic congestion by providing real-time information on parking availability across the city.

BMC additional commissioner (projects) Abhijit Bangar said, “We want agencies with strong expertise that can offer integrated solutions combining hardware components such as sensors with advanced analytics software. Accordingly, the conditions are being modified and the tender will be published again.”

The smart parking system will use cameras with video analytics, magnetic sensors and automatic boom barriers to monitor vehicle movement in real time. Information on vacant parking slots will be made available to motorists through multiple digital platforms. The system will track the entry and exit of vehicles and provide accurate, real-time updates on parking availability.

“The companies that came forward in response to the earlier tender did not meet our expectations. We are looking for a blend of experience and capability to provide an integrated solution,” said a civic official.

In March last year, the BMC had invited Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the commissioning and maintenance of the smart parking system, including both its software and hardware components. Prior to issuing this tender, the civic body had floated separate tenders for the software and hardware components. However, due to an inadequate response to the hardware tender, the BMC decided to combine both components into a single tender.

Once implemented, motorists will be able to reserve parking slots in advance through a web portal or mobile application at off-street parking facilities, helping them avoid queues at entry and exit points. The system will also provide information on applicable parking charges before a trip is planned and is expected to help ease traffic congestion during both peak and non-peak hours.