HC raps Maharashtra on failure to remove abandoned vehicles

“Where did you get this brilliant idea of passing your responsibility to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)?” the division bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice Ajey Gadkar asked assistant government pleader Jyoti Chavan.

The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday rapped the state government for failing to issue appropriate directions to the state police and transport officials to remove vehicles abandoned on roads and instead passing the responsibility onto local civic bodies.

The HC felt this was a breach of its July 18, 2018 directions to the state to instruct officers of the police and motor vehicles department to remove abandoned vehicles immediately. (HT FILE PHOTO)

“Where did you get this brilliant idea of passing your responsibility to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)?” the division bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice Ajey Gadkar asked assistant government pleader Jyoti Chavan.

The bench was annoyed to note instructions issued according to a government resolution (GR) passed by the urban development department (UDD) to the Mumbai traffic police to route complaints of abandoned vehicles to the concerned municipal officer. UDD’s September 14 GR instructed all civic bodies across Maharashtra to frame a policy for removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles after deliberations with the local police. The GR also instructed the civic bodies to set up a grievance redressal mechanism for abandoned vehicles.

The HC felt this was a breach of its July 18, 2018 directions to the state to instruct officers of the police and motor vehicles department to exercise their powers under section 82 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 and Rule 22 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules, 1982 and remove abandoned vehicles immediately.

The HC was hearing a public interest litigation filed by resident Tekchand Khanchandani, who had complained about traffic and encroachment of footpaths in Goregaon and Jogeshwari. As an example, he cited how on both sides of Link Road — starting at Hypercity Mall in Goregaon (West) and ending at Oshiwara Bridge —there was violation of a February 2009 traffic police notification which imposed restrictions such as no parking, no halting and no U-turns, no right turns. The HC’s order on July 18 had come after hearing this PIL.