Parking norms eased in industrial areas to boost biz
- State govt unveils major policy reforms to ease business operations, including reducing mandatory parking allocation in industrial areas from 20% to 10% and allowing shared parking solutions
- The changes also scrap minimum plot size requirements, relax height restrictions, and reduce setbacks to optimize land use and promote vertical development
Vijayawada: In a major push to boost industrial growth, the state government on Monday unveiled sweeping policy reforms aimed at easing business operations and rationalizing parking norms in industrial areas. The move is expected to cut compliance burdens, spur deregulation and accelerate investment, particularly benefiting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Announcing the reforms, principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development, S Suresh Kumar said the changes will remove long-standing bottlenecks that have driven up operational costs and slowed production. “By systematically deregulating and rationalizing these norms, Andhra Pradesh is setting a new benchmark for investor-friendly policies,” he said.
As part of the overhaul, the mandatory parking allocation in industrial areas has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, nbringing the state’s regulations in line with Telangana’s for standalone industrial units. Officials say this will make Andhra Pradesh more competitive while optimizing the use of valuable industrial land.
The government has also introduced shared parking solutions for layouts approved by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). Under the new directive, pooled parking facilities will be centrally managed at the layout planning stage, eliminating the need for each unit to provide individual parking if shared infrastructure is adequate. This is expected to free up more land for core industrial activities and reduce business overheads.
Other key measures include reducing side and rear setbacks, scrapping minimum plot size requirements for industrial purposes, and easing height restrictions. These changes are designed to curb land wastage, promote vertical development where feasible, and make industrial plots more efficient.
The reforms stem from a detailed study of parking norms across states and an analysis of development control regulations by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DT&CP). They also align with the Centre’s Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26, which calls for rationalized parking norms to spur industrial and commercial growth.
“These initiatives form part of a larger strategy to systematically deregulate across 23 priority areas identified for states,” Suresh Kumar said, adding that the ultimate goal is to create an enabling environment for MSMEs and drive Andhra Pradesh’s economic expansion.
