Nagpur Parking Scams Exposed: Illegal Charges and Fake Parking Racket

Pranay Arya
2 days ago
6 min read

Cars illegally parked on a busy street in Nagpur with a warning sign in the foreground. — Nagpur’s traffic data show an explosion in parking fines and violations amid scarce designated spots, while unauthorised parking fees and encroachments remain rampant

Despite Nagpur’s growing status in Vidarbha, recent reports expose a surge of parking-related irregularities in the city.

A rising number of motorists and residents have complained of unauthorised parking fee collections, erratic enforcement and outright corruption by those managing parking spaces. Complaints range from private operators demanding exorbitant charges to civic officials ignoring illegal structures that shrink public parking.

High courts and police agencies have begun to take notice, but enforcement remains uneven. The following report details documented cases and data from 2024 onward that highlight Nagpur’s parking scams, focusing strictly on the facts without editorial commentary.

The city’s parking shortage has been exploited by unscrupulous actors. Incidents include temple and cinema operators overcharging visitors, doctors and shopkeepers encroaching on official parking, and lax oversight by traffic authorities.

Traffic data show skyrocketing fines as illegal parking surges while key infrastructure sits idle.

Court rulings and enforcement drives have been launched, yet inconsistent action continues to frustrate commuters and watchdogs.

Escalating Violations Amid Parking Shortages

Nagpur’s vehicle population has exploded, crossing 21 lakh registered vehicles, while available parking has not kept pace.

The city has just 43 authorised on-street parking spots in use, far below the 75 originally planned. As a result, motorists routinely leave cars on main roads and sideways, prompting thousands of traffic challans.

In 2024 alone, over 94,500 parking violation fines were issued (about 250 per day), totalling ₹5.6 crore. From January to October 2024, traffic police booked 78,521 offences under anti-parking laws.

Areas like Sitabuldi market saw the most violations (22,305 cases), followed by the Cotton Market (11,922) and Sonegaon (9,637). These hotspots, along with busy corridors (Gandhibagh, High Court Road, Residency Road), are often gridlocked by vehicles parked on turns and narrows.

Enforcement efforts have included special drives to tow offending vehicles, but observers note that as soon as officers move on, illegal parking returns. The data underscores a stark mismatch with two-wheelers alone numbering over 16.8 lakh, Nagpur’s sparse parking roster forces drivers to gamble with fines or bribes.

Several high-profile cases revealed how private individuals and entities have exploited the crisis. For instance, a 2023 exposé found that at Koradi’s Mahalaxmi Jagdamba Temple, attendants were “looting devotees in the name of parking charges”, collecting double the rate and issuing lower-value receipts. While this case predates 2024, it exemplifies the kind of scam that has persisted.

Surveying more recent years, activists report similar malpractice. Cinema halls, private malls, and metro stations have seen unauthorised parking managers charging inflated fees. Even when no parking exists on private land, operators sometimes forcibly displace legitimate public parking or rent out city roads with jacked-up rates. On the other hand, official parking infrastructure stands largely neglected.

A flagship ₹5-crore multi-level parking facility in Sitabuldi (capacity for 22 cars and 240 bikes) lay unused for more than a year after completion, still unopened by early 2025 due to delays in setting its fee structure.

This left drivers without lawful alternatives even after hawkers blocking roads were cleared.

Encroachments by public institutions have also been documented.

In one case highlighted in court, hospitals in the Dhantoli area had built illegal additions totalling 3,000–5,000 sq.ft over designated parking slots, essentially privatising areas meant for patients and visitors.

Local reports noted that some doctors had even installed locks on these spaces to bar outsiders, severely limiting available parking.

Similarly, traditional markets and residential avenues face chronic encroachments by street vendors and shops that extend into sidewalks and shoulders, effectively turning footpaths into informal parking spots.

Observers noted that despite recent road widening in the old-city Mahal area, vehicles “haphazardly parked” by shoppers still occupy new lanes, causing chaos and snarl-ups. These unregulated encroachments act as a hidden parking racket, forcing drivers into side streets or to pay bribes to avoid having vehicles towed or clamped.

Legal Scrutiny and Enforcement Drives

Faced with public outcry, courts and police have stepped in sporadically. In June 2024, the Bombay High Court (Nagpur bench) chastised the Municipal Corporation for its “double standards” on illegal construction.

Justices pointed out that tiny illegal stalls built by ordinary citizens are swiftly demolished, yet sprawling unauthorised parking structures by big hospitals remained for years unchecked.

The court demanded an explanation “Has this illegality persisted for years without your knowledge?” it asked, signalling that municipal officers may have been complicit or negligent. As a result, the civic body was ordered to verify parking complaints, review development plans, and take action by specified deadlines.

In related litigation, citizens highlighted how offshoots of hospitals and tuition classes have encroached into parking zones, illustrating the entrenched nature of these irregularities.

On the enforcement front, Nagpur Police announced campaigns to curb street parking. In January 2025, the Traffic Police launched “Operation Footpath Freedom”, aiming to tow vehicles and lift motorbikes parked illegally on sidewalks.

Notices warned that offenders would face penalties under multiple traffic and police statutes if they occupied footpaths. The operation coincided with a court directive banning adverts and hoardings on sidewalks citywide.

Similarly, police have towed hundreds of illegally parked cars citywide during special drives, underlining that authorities possess the mandate to enforce regulations strongly. However, activists note that while the rhetoric has hardened, follow-through varies.

Ensuring that impounded vehicles really come from criminal tow-contractors, or that drivers aren’t pressured into ‘settling’ on the spot, remains challenging.

These enforcement news items show authorities are aware of the “paralysed” effect of street parking on traffic, but it also reveals that public pressure is needed to sustain action.

Impact and Ongoing Challenges

The net effect of these issues is acute inconvenience and distrust among residents. With lawful parking scarce, drivers feel trapped between facing fines, bribery demands or vandalism to their vehicles.

Many now avoid certain areas or pay unofficial attendants to avoid hassles, effectively participating in the scam economy out of desperation.

Meanwhile, automated, cashless payment machines and official apps are still mired by mistrust, as locals circulate warnings that any parking authority without clear oversight could be part of a racket. Even well-intentioned new policies like proposed proof-of-parking for car registration or expansion of off-street lots risk failing if enforcement is half-hearted.

Legal experts and civic forums emphasise that without transparency in how parking contracts are awarded or how fines are collected, Nagpur’s “parking crisis” could simply mutate into organised skimming.

If multi-level parks continue to lie idle due to bureaucratic delays, private groups will step in to fill the gap illegally.

Community petitions now frequently cite past scams to demand safeguards. For example, temple trusts were told to regulate their own parking operators after the Koradi incidents. At the time of writing, some activists had even moved court to stop new underground parking projects until clear oversight measures are spelt out.

Nagpur’s parking saga remains unresolved as 2026 begins. The hard numbers, tens of thousands of challans and fines already issued, indicate how entrenched illegal parking is.

Despite the media spotlight on individual cases, official reports show continued high violation rates and little new authorised capacity.

For now, drivers and commuters remain wary, knowing that beyond routine tickets, any pay-and-display or valet scheme could be a scam disguised as service.

FAQ

Q: How widespread are parking scams in Nagpur?

A: Reports indicate multiple incidents across the city since 2024. The problem is linked to chronic parking shortages. Traffic data show Nagpur issued 78,521 parking fines by Oct 2024 and nearly 95,000 for the full year, reflecting rampant unauthorised parking. High court cases and news exposés show both religious and commercial sites involved in illegal fee collection.

Q: What recourse do residents have if faced with illegal parking charges?

A: Citizens are advised to seek official receipts and verify posted rates. Complaints can be filed with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation or the Traffic Police. The High Court has directed authorities to review parking regulations. Local forums suggest documenting the incident and reporting it to the police if the fees seem extortionate.