2,000 vehicles abandoned on Delhi roads causing traffic problems

There are over 2,000 vehicles on Delhi roads, a survey conducted by a group of transport researchers from IIT-Delhi has found.

Four researchers surveyed the city’s roads and public places and found that the abandoned vehicles, whose owners could not be traced, was a major reason for traffic bottlenecks.

The researchers, as per initial survey reports, spotted 2,099 vehicles abandoned along road sides. This number does not include the seized vehicles lying outside police stations.

The survey found that of the total 2099, the maximum, 1009, were found in east Delhi. In west Delhi, 578 such vehicles were found, while 167 and 345 abandoned vehicles were found around south and north Delhi, respectively.

“Abandoned vehicles are a problem that has increasingly become a reason for traffic snarls in several localities. Especially on neighbourhood and internal roads, these not only pose a traffic menace but have also become a security concern,” said Sudhanshu Pandya, who is heading the survey.

The problem was most rampant around Trilokpuri, IP Extension, Mayur Vihar phase-II and New Ashok Nagar, as per the survey report.

Pandya said several vehicles that they surveyed over a span of four months were lying on roadsides for such a long time that some of their tyres had been found buried under the ground.

“The municipal corporations or the police had done nothing to seize the vehicles and find and fine the owners,” Pandya said.

The Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules (1993) says a vehicle is considered abandoned if it is found standing in one place for over 24 hours and adequate steps have not been taken by the owner for its repair and removal. In such cases, the local municipality with the assistance of the police needs to seize such vehicles and advertise to find the owner. In case the owner is not found the municipality can auction the vehicle.

Senior officials from the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) said regular drives are carried out to seize abandoned vehicles and fines are levied according to the vehicle’s weight.

Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, Rs 1 per kilo is charged for an abandoned vehicle. For example, if a vehicle weighs 4,000 kgs then the fine amounts to Rs 4000.

“We have acted against vehicles that are abandoned by its owners. After seizure, usually in three to four days, the owners come forward to claim their vehicles. The drive against such abandoned vehicles was intensified during the sealing drive when the owners were charged for illegal parking and encroachment of public land,” a senior EDMC official said.