top of page

By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

BMC plans parking curbs in narrow lanes

Mumbai: Amid mounting concerns over delayed emergency response in congested neighbourhoods, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to enforce parking restrictions in several narrow lanes across the city, where indiscriminate on-street parking has increasingly emerged as a critical civic hazard. The move, expected to be implemented soon, is aimed at ensuring unobstructed access for fire engines and ambulances in densely populated pockets where even minor delays can have...

BMC plans parking curbs in narrow lanes

Mumbai: Amid mounting concerns over delayed emergency response in congested neighbourhoods, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to enforce parking restrictions in several narrow lanes across the city, where indiscriminate on-street parking has increasingly emerged as a critical civic hazard. The move, expected to be implemented soon, is aimed at ensuring unobstructed access for fire engines and ambulances in densely populated pockets where even minor delays can have life-threatening consequences. “Illegal parking is not merely a compliance issue; it reflects the structural gap between the rapid growth in vehicle ownership and the limited parking infrastructure available in our cities,” said Prashant Sharma, President of NAREDCO Maharashtra. “As urban centres continue to densify, there is a pressing need to integrate well-planned and technologically enabled parking solutions within city planning as well as new real estate developments. Adequate parking infrastructure will play a crucial role in ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving overall urban mobility,” he added. Highlighting the urgency for scalable interventions, Ashish Majithia, Founder and CEO of Nextkraft Parking Technologies, said, “Mumbai’s parking crisis, especially in older and congested localities, underscores the need for innovative approaches such as automated and multi-level parking systems. Automated or mechanised parking should be installed at every public parking spot, which can significantly increase capacity, reduce dependence on on-street parking and ensure that critical access routes remain unobstructed. Alongside regulatory measures, adopting vertical parking infrastructure will be the key to building safer and more efficient cities.” The civic concern is particularly acute in older parts of South and Central Mumbai, including Chandanwadi, Girgaon, Kalbadevi, Gaondevi, Tardeo, Mumbai Central, Nagpada, Agripada and Byculla, where over 240 narrow lanes have been identified. Civic assessments indicate that nearly 35 to 40 of these are so constricted that only a single vehicle can pass at a time, making them highly vulnerable during emergencies when every second is critical. Commercial Zones The situation is further exacerbated in high-density commercial zones such as Zaveri Bazaar and Kalbadevi, where wholesale trade activity leads to persistent vehicular congestion. Authorities warn that in the event of fires or medical emergencies, blocked access routes could result in severe loss of life and property, underlining the gravity of the issue as more than just a traffic inconvenience. According to civic officials, proposed measures include introducing odd-even parking systems in select lanes and declaring complete no-parking zones in others, coupled with stricter enforcement against violators. However, residents and business owners have raised concerns over the absence of adequate alternative parking infrastructure, arguing that enforcement without viable substitutes could shift the burden rather than resolve the problem. As Mumbai continues to grapple with rising vehicle ownership and shrinking urban space, the proposed restrictions bring into sharp focus a deeper civic challenge, balancing immediate regulatory action with long-term infrastructure planning. Experts maintain that unless supported by systematic investments in organised, high-capacity parking solutions, the city’s emergency access bottlenecks may persist despite stricter rules.

The Growth Deadlock

There comes a stage in every business where growth no longer responds to effort alone. The founder is working harder than ever, the systems are in place, the numbers are healthy, yet expansion feels stubbornly out of reach. Sales plateau, conversations repeat themselves, and despite competence and credibility, momentum slows. It is not failure, but it is not progress either. This is the Catch-22 many business owners quietly find themselves in — wanting to grow, knowing they should grow, but uncertain about what exactly is holding them back.


I recently met a founder who described this dilemma with striking honesty. He was articulate, attentive, respected in his circle, and financially successful. He listened more than he spoke, showed up consistently at networking events, and ran a stable organisation. Yet he felt invisible in rooms where decisions were being made. His website, visiting card, and online presence told three different stories. His personal identity as a leader had not kept pace with the scale of his business. He wasn’t struggling — but he wasn’t expanding either.


This is where many business owners misdiagnose the problem as a sales issue, a market issue, or a talent issue. In reality, it is often a brand issue — not of the company, but of the individual leading it.


At higher levels of business, growth is no longer driven only by products, pricing, or performance. It is driven by perception, positioning, and presence. People do business with those they trust, remember, and relate to. When a founder’s personal brand is fragmented or understated, opportunities quietly pass by. Conversations don’t convert. Introductions don’t compound. Visibility doesn’t translate into influence.


The problem is not always obvious because it does not feel urgent. Revenue is coming in. Teams are functioning. But the size of the problem reveals itself over time. Expansion stalls. Strategic partnerships don’t materialise. The founder remains respected but not sought after. Known, but not preferred.


This is where personal branding plays a decisive role — not as self-promotion, but as strategic alignment. A strong personal brand ensures that what a founder believes about themselves is consistent with what the world experiences. It bridges the gap between competence and command. Between being present and being powerful.


When a founder’s brand is unclear, the promise they unconsciously make to the market is diluted. When it is clear, the promise becomes unmistakable. People understand what you stand for, how you think, and why engaging with you is valuable. Your voice carries weight. Your presence creates recall. Your business benefits without you having to sell harder.


Timing matters here. The moment to address personal branding is not when growth has completely stalled, but when it begins to feel effortful. When conversations stop leading to outcomes. When you realise that despite doing everything “right,” expansion feels heavier than it should.


For founders managing businesses of scale, personal branding is not about visibility alone. It is about coherence. About ensuring that your online presence, offline behaviour, communication style, and leadership identity speak the same language. When they do, growth becomes more organic. Opportunities come through people, not pitches. Trust accelerates decisions. And scale begins to feel natural again.


Many business owners are not lacking ambition or capability. They are caught in a deadlock between where their business is and where their personal brand still operates. Resolving that gap often unlocks growth in ways no new strategy can.


If this reflection feels familiar — if you sense that something intangible is holding your expansion back — it may be worth examining not your business model, but your personal one. How you are perceived. What your presence promises. And whether your brand is speaking the growth you seek.


If you would like to explore this quietly and strategically, you may book a free discovery conversation here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani


Not as a pitch, but as a conversation — to understand what your personal brand is currently communicating, and what it may need to say next.


(The writer is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page