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MVA 1988 (Amended 2019)ORIGINALChapter V
Section 117
Parking Places and Halting Stations
Control of Traffic
Fine: ₹500Compoundable: YesEndorsement: No
BARE ACT PROVISION
Legal Text
A State Government or any authority authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, in consultation with the local authority having jurisdiction in the area concerned, determine places at which motor vehicles may stand either indefinitely or for a specified period, and may determine the places at which public service vehicles may stop for a longer time than is necessary for the taking up and setting down of passengers.
Simplified Explanation
Section 117 provides the legal basis for designated parking zones and halting stations in India. The provision empowers State Governments and their delegated authorities (municipal corporations, local bodies, traffic police) to designate where vehicles may park and where public transport may halt. Parking violations — parking in non-designated areas, blocking fire hydrants, parking on footpaths, double parking, parking in bus stops — are among the most common urban traffic violations. The Section 177 penalty for illegal parking (₹500) is widely criticised as inadequate; many cities have supplemented it with towing fees (₹500–₹2,000) and storage charges. Section 179 empowers authorised officers to remove and impound vehicles parked obstructing traffic.
Historical Context
Chaotic parking is one of urban India's most persistent traffic management failures. Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai spend enormous municipal resources on parking management. The low MVA penalty has incentivised illegal parking — city-level parking policies are increasingly moving toward higher fines and decriminalised penalty notices (similar to UK parking regulations).Critical Changes
Many cities (Mumbai, Bengaluru) have introduced much higher local penalty regimes for parking violations.
Smart parking systems being deployed in major cities.
Section 122 (obstructing traffic flow) often applied alongside Section 117 violations.
Practical Scenarios
"A car parked on a bus stop — Section 117/177 violation, ₹500 MVA fine + possible towing."
"Double parking blocking traffic flow — Section 117/122 violation."
"Parking on a footpath — Section 177 violation and obstructing pedestrians."
Common Queries
Yes — Section 179 empowers authorised officers to remove and impound vehicles parked in violation of MVA provisions or causing obstruction. The vehicle owner must pay the towing fee and impoundment charges to recover the vehicle, in addition to any parking violation fine.
Under Section 177 MVA, the basic fine is ₹500. However, many municipal corporations impose additional penalties under local laws — Mumbai's parking penalty is ₹1,000+ for certain zones, plus towing costs of up to ₹1,500.