Mumbai Traffic Advisory: Odd-Even Parking Rules Imposed in Sakinaka and Eastern Suburbs To Clear Gridlock; Check Details
The Mumbai Traffic Police introduced temporary odd-even parking on narrow routes across the eastern suburbs, including the Sakinaka Traffic Division, to reduce gridlock and ensure emergency vehicle access. Running from mid-May to mid-August 2026, the rule permits parking on the north side on even dates and the south side on odd dates.
The Mumbai Traffic Police has implemented temporary odd-even parking restrictions across multiple high-density corridors in the eastern suburbs, including the Sakinaka Traffic Division, to combat growing gridlock. According to official notifications issued under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, double-sided parking on narrow sub-arterial routes has severely impeded vehicular flow and blocked emergency and essential service vehicles, necessitating targeted regulatory intervention.
Implementation Timeline and Geographic Scope
The temporary traffic directives, issued by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Eastern Suburban Traffic), will remain in effect for a three-month period. For the Sakinaka division, the restrictions commenced on May 20 and will run through August 19. Similar adjacent orders across wider sections of the eastern suburbs went into effect on May 19 and are slated to continue until August 18. Mumbai Police Vehicle Fire: New Scorpio N Patrol Car Engulfs in Blaze in Sakinaka, No Injuries Reported (Watch Video).
The administrative measure targets specified narrow corridors across several major residential and commercial hubs, including:
- Mulund and Bhandup
- Chembur, Chunabhatti, and Trombay
- Mankhurd, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, and Ghatkopar
Affected Routes Within Sakinaka Division
Within the Sakinaka Traffic Division, the odd-even mandate applies directly to four prominent local road segments characterized by heavy daily commuter volumes:
- Main Street Road: Stretches from Galleria Circle to Swami Narayan Circle.
- High Street Road: Connects D Mart Circle to the Heritage Building.
- Forest Street Road: Runs from Orchid Avenue to Eden Garden Junction.
- Saki Vihar Road: Extends from the PWD Office access road leading to the Westin Hotel up to Ambedkar Udyan.
Mechanism of the Odd-Even Parking System
The system regulates curb space usage dynamically based on the calendar date to ensure that at least one full lane remains entirely clear for moving traffic. Under the newly enforced protocol, parking is strictly restricted to a single side of the designated streets:
- On Even Dates: Motorists are permitted to park vehicles exclusively on the northern side of the road.
- On Odd Dates: Parking privileges shift entirely to the southern side of the road.
Administrative Rationale and Enforcement
Traffic authorities emphasized that infrastructure constraints in these fast-developing commercial zones leave little room for double-sided street parking. Prior to the order, unregulated parking on both curbs frequently reduced two-lane roads to single bottlenecks, causing cascading delays during peak hours. CBI Raids Mumbai and Ahmedabad in INR 119 Crore Bank Fraud Cases Linked to Shri Hari Extrusion and Jay Formulations.
The Mumbai Traffic Police has deployed additional towing vehicles and personnel to monitor the restricted zones. Law enforcement officials have urged area residents and daily commuters to strictly adhere to the alternating calendar schedule to maintain optimal road width, avoid penalization, and support the uninterrupted movement of emergency services.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2026 08:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
