Maharashtra: Is that junk vehicle on road yours? Cops will come calling

Soon you might hear policemen calling out names of owners of abandoned vehicles on public address system. The Maharashtra government on Tuesday came out with specific instruction on abandoned vehicles in the state. The government has asked civic authorities and district administration to provide facilities and space so that abandoned vehicles can be taken off the roads and kept at a safe location until further action can be taken.

According to the home department officials, pedestrians and residents face a lot of problems after vehicles are left unauthorisedly parked or abandoned on roads and streets. In 2013, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court citing problems faced by pedestrians due to abandoned vehicles, after which the High Court had directed the state to issue guidelines on the said issue.

"Instructions have been issued to the police and motor transport department officials on abandoned vehicles issue," confirmed Principal Secretary (Special), Home Department, Amitabh Gupta.

"A separate complaint register in this regard has to be maintained. After having received the complaint, a police officer or an assistant inspector from motor transport department will have to visit the place where the vehicle is abandoned with required equipment such as towing vehicle, wheel clamp or public address system (PAS)," said a home department official.

He added, if the abandoned vehicle is found to be affecting traffic or posing any threat, the said vehicle has to be moved to a safe place from the spot. "If a vehicle is found abandoned for weeks or months, the officer will have to use PAS in the locality where the vehicle was found abandoned to trace the owner of the said vehicle. If the officials fail to trace the owner, the officials will have to paste a notice on the said vehicle, asking the owner to contact the officers. If the notice fails to get any response, the said vehicle has to be moved to a safe location," the official said.

"The police officer can also contact the regional transport office and get details of the owner and ask him/her to take possession of the vehicle. In case the owner refuses, action should be taken under the provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act. The expenses incurred for towing the vehicle to a safe place and keeping a vigil on the said vehicles should be extracted from the vehicle owner or the person who takes possession of the vehicle, under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules 1989," said the official.

The police and motor transport department has been asked to set up an independent helpline, WhatsApp number, email and mobile application to receive complaints from citizens about abandoned vehicles or vehicles parked in no-parking zones, official said, adding that, action should be taken by the police on the vehicles parked in no-parking zones, by monitoring the CCTV cameras installed on the roads.