The government also asked all civic bodies in the state to establish a dedicated toll-free telephone number, WhatsApp number and e-mail for residents to register complaints on abandoned vehicles.
Concerned about the safety and security of vehicles being abandoned in public places, mainly on streets, the Maharashtra government has directed all municipal corporations to draft a policy to dispose of such vehicles in a time-bound manner in their respective areas. The civic bodies have also been directed to establish dedicated toll-free numbers for people to provide information on abandoned vehicles.
“There is a need to formalise a policy by every municipal corporation to dispose of the vehicles illegally abandoned in public places and on roads in a timebound manner. It should be done considering the local situation and in discussion with the local police,” said a notification by the state urban development department issued to all civic bodies including the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
It also asked all civic bodies in the state to establish a dedicated toll-free telephone number, WhatsApp number and e-mail for residents to register complaints on abandoned vehicles. “There should be a separate complaint book for registering complaints on abandoned vehicles so that action on the complaint can be tracked down,” it said, adding that the complaint should be communicated to the local police.
“The civic bodies should also act on anonymous complaints. The point of contact to register complaints should be publicised in all media. The action on the complaints should be taken with immediate effect,” it said.
The state government said the Bombay High Court has directed it to establish a system for tackling the issue of abandoned vehicles on city roads as they create hurdles in traffic flow as well as cleanliness and security. In June, the PMC undertook a special drive to seize abandoned vehicles on city roads and found that 50 per cent of the 690 abandoned vehicles seized were stolen with their number plates changed and no response from owners who were served notices.
According to a PMC officer, the civic body was to auction the vehicles seized but the police sought the number of the chassis of vehicles after it was suspected that half of them were stolen and then abandoned. “The PMC can auction only those vehicles that are not used in any crime and the owners refused to pay a fine to take them back,” he said.