People in Ahmedabad will be required to display proof of parking space in order to purchase a car.

People would be required to provide proof of parking space before purchasing vehicles under a historic new parking policy finalized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

The step is an attempt to stop people from purchasing several cars. According to the Times of India, the civic body also agreed not to allow cars to get parked in public places for long periods.

The policy got released in the last week of April, but the information was not made public until May 12.

The Indian government and the states agreed in 2017 to make it mandatory for car buyers to have proof of parking space. However, it has not taken off, and the Ahmedabad civic body is one of the few that is proceeding with the requirement.

Monthly and annual permits for common parking lots will be issued under the scheme. The AMC intends to issue parking permits for streets surrounding residential units.

According to the civic body, having several vehicles is a “luxury that should be discouraged.” To ensure that the initiative has the desired impact, the AMC plans to increase taxes on those who own multiple vehicles.

The new rules also allow parking space sharing. Currently, parking spaces at office and shopping buildings, banks, malls, and parks are available on weekends but are underutilized.

It also intends to ban private cars and vehicles from parking in designated areas where only taxis and autorickshaws will be permitted. Under the new regulations, private buildings with extra parking space would be required to share space with others.