Pune Municipal Corporation Initiates Auction for 535 Abandoned Vehicles Seized Due To Traffic Woes and Garbage Dumping

In response to prolonged traffic obstructions and the unsightly dumping of garbage caused by abandoned vehicles, Pune’s Municipal Encroachment Department has seized and impounded 535 vehicles left unattended on the city’s roads.

Despite previous appeals to citizens to remove these vehicles, the lack of response has led to their confiscation. The Municipal Corporation has now decided to auction off 506 of these impounded vehicles, addressing the persistent issue.

Over the years, the presence of these abandoned vehicles has marred main roads, internal streets, and public spaces, creating dust-laden environments. During the Ganpati festival, notices were issued to prompt owners to claim their abandoned vehicles, but after seven days with no response, the Municipal Encroachment Department took decisive action, impounding a total of 535 vehicles in the past year.

Owners of impounded vehicles face fines ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 rupees, contributing to the municipal corporation’s income. However, discussions continue about whether the auction proceeds justify the cost of impounding. Once fines are collected, vehicles are returned to their owners.

Madhav Jagtap, Head of Encroachment Department, PMC, stated, “This year, the municipal encroachment department impounded 535 vehicles, including 345 two-wheelers, 92 three-wheelers, 91 four-wheelers, and 6 six-wheelers. Of these, 5 two-wheelers, 7 three-wheelers, 16 four-wheelers, and 1 six-wheeler have been reclaimed. Currently, the Municipal Corporation has 506 vehicles awaiting auction, which will take place soon.”

The Municipal Corporation has previously conducted two successful rounds of auctions, generating substantial revenue. In 2018, an auction resulted in a revenue of 16 lakh rupees, while in 2022, 1146 vehicles were auctioned, bringing in a significant income of Rs. 1 crore 23 lakhs for the municipal corporation.

Additionally, Commissioner Vikram Kumar announced plans to address the issue of unauthorized hoardings in the city. Out of a total of 2800 hoardings, 900 have been removed in the past year, leaving 1900 hoardings, with 1500 having proper licenses. The commissioner emphasized that action will be taken against the remaining 400 unauthorized hoardings, ensuring a cleaner and more regulated urban landscape.