Meghalaya launches grant-in-aid scheme for off-street parking

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 29, 2025

In a bid to tackle mounting traffic congestion, the Urban Affairs Department has rolled out the Grant-in-Aid Scheme for Off-Street Parking—an initiative under the Meghalaya Parking Policy for Urban Areas, 2025.

What sets the scheme apart is its community-oriented approach. Instead of relying on government infrastructure alone, it invites Dorbar Shnongs, NGOs, cooperative societies, and private landowners to develop organized parking facilities. With capital grants and operational autonomy, the government aims to turn underutilized spaces into community-run parking hubs.

The scheme offers Rs 1 lakh per Equivalent Car Space (ECS) for surface-level and stacked parking, with a minimum of 10 ECS. For automated systems, it covers up to 75% of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) cost or Rs 5 lakh per ECS, with a minimum of 20 ECS. Applicants will construct, operate, and maintain facilities, and may collect fees as per government-notified rates.

Applications will be demand-driven and screened by a Committee. Projects will be exclusively for commercial parking.

Officials say the move will help reclaim Shillong’s crowded roads, which remain choked by unregulated on-street parking and rising private vehicle ownership.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are open until September 30, 2025, via www.investmeghalaya.gov.in.

This marks Meghalaya’s first attempt to bring community stakeholders into urban mobility planning—a step the government believes could pave the way for more commuter-friendly cities in the Northeast.