Gurugram traffic police procure 200 wheel clamps to crack down on illegal parking

The traffic police have procured 200 wheel clamps to check illegal parking in the city, officials said on Friday. Around 100 wheel clamps have already been distributed

The traffic police have procured 200 wheel clamps to check illegal parking in the city, officials said on Friday. Around 100 wheel clamps have already been distributed to traffic inspectors and are in use across the city including areas like Mehrauli-Gurgaon (MG) Road and Golf Course Road.

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The traffic police said they have been using the devices for almost a month now. Using wheel clamps is a faster method of issuing fines to commuters who park their vehicles illegally. Officials said the device is locked around the wheel of a vehicle, which prevents it from being moved.

Himanshu Garg, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), traffic, said, “The traffic police officer who puts the clamp on the illegally parked vehicle also leaves a slip on the windshield. The officer’s mobile number is written on the slip and when the commuter returns to his vehicle, (s)he can call him and inform him/her about the wheel clamp.” He added that the traffic police officer would be carrying a challan machine to hand out the fine at the spot to the owner of the vehicle.

“Wheel clamps are an efficient way of issuing fines. A crane takes much more time to tow the vehicle and taking it to the yard. With the help of clamps, we have been able to do it in a much shorter period, although the vehicle remains parked at the spot. The devices are also used in the areas such as narrow lanes, where towing cranes can’t reach,” the DCP added.

Azad Singh, station house officer (SHO), traffic police station-1, said, “We are using the towing method and wheel clamps simultaneously. The clamps have made things a lot easier for us as they are more efficient. However, they will not reduce the usage of towing cranes as cranes effectively remove illegally parked vehicles from the spot.”

In October 2019, the traffic police collaborated with the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) to tackle the chronic problem of parking in the city. The crane drivers and traffic officials began using a mobile application and were required to click two pictures at the spot. One of the vehicle while it was illegally parked and the other of its registration number. Traffic officials had identified three spots—the MG Road, Golf Course Road and Udyog Vihar—where the issue of illegal parking was prominent and the maximum number of vehicles were being towed.