Rs 500 fine for owners of abandoned vehicles, to be towed away after a week

BENGALURU: Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Friday launched a clearance drive of abandoned vehicles at Queen’s Road by pasting notices on them. Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad accompanied the minister.

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda also put clamps on abandoned vehicles lined up on Queen’s Road. The traffic police had brought clamps to put on the vehicles. Abandoned vehicles were parked right next to the KPCC office and no one knows who the owners are.

“There are 1,581 vehicles have been left parked on the roads. These vehicles will be cleared”, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said. “A fine of Rs 500 will be imposed on the owners of the abandoned vehicles. “We will impose a fine of Rs 500 and paste a notice on the vehicle. The owner must pay the fine and take the vehicle within seven days. If it is not cleared within seven days, it will be towed away and the vehicle owner will have to pay towing charges along with the Rs 500 fine”, he added.

MLA Rizwan Arshad said, “There are a lot of abandoned cars in our constituency. We have identified only a few and there are many more. I’m not going by number plates, but whichever vehicles are left parked, we will paste notices.
At some places, they leave them for 6-7 months, even for years. Some people intentionally abandon them”.

“Pedestrian pathways are meant for people to walk. Also, garbage piles up around where the vehicles are parked. If vehicles are left like this for months, we will auction them. That money will go to the government. It’s okay to park at night and take it in the morning. But if they abandon them for months, we will clear them. Vehicle owners will have a fixed Rs 500 fine plus towing charges”, Arshad said.

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, “Both GBA and the police department are carrying out the drive jointly. About 15 days ago, we requested that vehicles left by owners on roads and parking spaces be cleared. But because they are parked like this, people are facing problems. Vehicles are left like this for months and we don’t know who they belong to”.

“Encroaching public spaces is a violation of the law.In a way, this is why Bengaluru looks ugly. Even after saying this 15 days ago, they haven’t cleared them. Police have identified 1,581 vehicles left on the roadside. The number is probably higher. For now, we will paste a one-week notice on the vehicles. Owners will be given one week after the notice is pasted. Currently, there is a penalty of Rs 500-1,000. If it is not taken after one week, it will be towed. After that, they can pay the towing charges and get it released”.

“Even then if they don’t come, we will auction it. Anyone can participate in the auction. If they take it from here and park it elsewhere, we will impose a severe penalty on them. Right now we have a list of 1,581 vehicles. This is not the complete list. Citizens can also report such abandoned vehicles on the ‘Astra’ app”.

“Citizens can bring it to the attention of the government and we will follow the same rule. Bengaluru needs to improve. It should help people live peacefully. Keep your vehicle at home. Keep it on your own property. Roads are not scrap yards to leave your vehicle on”, he said.

Speaking to Public TV, Krishna Byre Gowda said. “I have a goal to carry out several important drives. I will soon start the Rajakaluve encroachment clearance drive. Even if my relative has built on the footpath, I have cleared it. There is also a garbage problem. I am planning a major drive for that. I will start a drive to clear debris from roads, public places and areas where people walk. We will carry out a drive to solve the garbage problem. I am planning something major for that. I have many goals, we will start one drive after another. Whatever we do, people will talk. Something needs to be done for Bengaluru and I will do it”.