Can't dump seized, abandoned vehicles in public places in space-starved city like Mumbai: HC

The bench asked the traffic department to mention the steps it proposes to take for a long-term solution on the issue. Representational pic

Mumbai's streets, gasping for space, can no longer double as graveyards for abandoned vehicles, the Bombay High Court (HC) has said with a clear order to all the police stations for the strict implementation of the traffic police's directives for disposal of such vehicles.

In an order passed on May 8, a bench of Justices GS Kulkarni and Advait Sethna said merely dumping such vehicles at a dumping yard would not be enough and called for continuous action to dispose of them.

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"In a city like Mumbai, which has an acute scarcity of space and limited space on public roads and footpaths, such public spaces cannot be encroached by dumping or storing vehicles seized or confiscated by the police," the bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Marathon Maxima Co-op Housing Society, which raised concerns about parking/dumping of towed or confiscated vehicles by a nearby police station outside the society's gates, causing obstruction, reported news agency PTI.

The additional commissioner of police, traffic department, in an affidavit, said a communication was issued to all the police stations across Mumbai in April, suggesting that all abandoned or confiscated vehicles be moved to a dumping yard.

The bench urged the state government to identify convenient locations in each civic ward to dump confiscated or seized vehicles, reported PTI.

"Merely dumping of the vehicles at the dumping site would not suffice. In the event these vehicles are no longer required, a continuous action is required to be taken to dispose of these vehicles, for which appropriate advisory needs to be issued," the court said and posted the matter for further hearing on July 2.

The bench also asked the traffic department to mention the steps it proposes to take for a long-term solution to the issues raised in the plea.

It further stated that the directives issued in the communication have to be meticulously followed by all the police stations.

The court directed the officer in-charge of police stations to adhere to the directions and not accumulate vehicles outside police stations.

"We clarify that the directions issued by the traffic department ought not to fall on deaf ears and needs to be strictly followed and implemented by the police stations," the court said.

It further stated that any breach of the orders will lead to appropriate departmental action against the officer concerned.

According to the traffic police's affidavit, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has awarded a contract to a private company to identify and scrap such abandoned vehicles.

(With PTI inputs)