Mangaluru: The staffs of the towing vehicle which tows away vehicles parked in no parking areas are apparently not following rules. Because of this, most of the vehicles being towed away end up being damaged is an allegation being heard among the public.
The city is growing as a smart city and accordingly, the vehicle density here too is on the rise. However, there is no proper parking facility in the city to accommodate the rising density. The city corporation has not yet fulfilled the demand to provide proper parking facilities here. Since there is a major lack of parking facility in the city, vehicle users are compelled to park their vehicles on the roadsides. Already, the vehicle density on the road is on the rise and haphazard parking on the roadside is only intensifying traffic jams. Thus, with no proper parking facility in the city, the question on where to park ones vehicles is rising among the public.
If in case there is an empty space available in the city and one parks his vehicle there, it will not deter the towing vehicle to take away the vehicle. The public complaints that, although the traffic department has not installed no-parking board at such an area, the vehicles parked here are nonetheless towed away.
Lawrence, a resident of Kodialguttu had parked his scooter near Pandeshwar on June 15
th and had visited a bookstore nearby. He returned within 5 minutes only to find his scooter missing. He assumed that he must have lost his scooter and hence searched throughout the city in an auto-rickshaw. Finally, he realized that the vehicle might have been towed away and hence on this suspicion he visited Kadri police station and found his two-wheeler there.
According to Lawrence, “My scooter has sustained scratches in the front because of the towing staff and when I informed the same to the cops, they gave a lame answer. Finally, I submitted a written complaint to the police and I have not yet received any response from the cops. My scooter is not in its earlier condition. This is not only my problem, but of many others,” he alleged.
Before the implementation of the towing system, the traffic police used to put a wheel lock to any vehicle parked in no-parking area. The contact detail of the concerned was mentioned on the lock. But now, the towing vehicle only takes away the vehicle leaving behind no clue to its disappearance. Thus, searching ones vehicle has become a question in itself, inform vehicle owners.
Strict notice
I have already informed the traffic police staff to see to it that the vehicle being towed from a no parking zone does not suffer any damage while being towed away. I’ll send another strict notice regarding this. If in case a vehicle suffers damage, a complaint in the form of a written letter may be submitted to the ACP of traffic division –
Sandeep Patil, Mangaluru Police Commissioner
