Towing drive to clear abandoned vehicles in Bengaluru from April 7

Bengaluru : In a bid to decongest city roads and improve traffic movement, the Greater Bengaluru Authority has directed officials to launch a major towing operation to remove abandoned vehicles parked along roadsides. The drive will commence from April 7, as instructed by Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao.

Chairing a coordination meeting with multiple departments at the GBA headquarters on Monday, Rao emphasized the need for immediate action against vehicles that have been lying unattended for months across the city. “The towing operation must begin without delay to clear such vehicles and ensure smoother traffic flow,” he said.

According to an official release, towing vehicles have already been handed over to the traffic police, along with a list of abandoned vehicles identified across various parts of the city. Based on this data, authorities have been instructed to initiate the clearance drive from Tuesday.

The move comes amid increasing complaints about road congestion caused by long-abandoned vehicles occupying valuable parking space. Officials believe the operation will not only ease traffic bottlenecks but also enhance road safety and urban cleanliness.

In addition, strict measures have been proposed to regulate parking across Bengaluru. The GBA has instructed traffic police to enforce parking rules rigorously, especially on white-topped and concrete roads, as well as other major arterial routes. Parking will be allowed only in designated zones, and violations will attract penalties.

The Chief Commissioner also reviewed issues related to road maintenance and infrastructure. He directed officials to procure pothole-filling machines for each city corporation under the GBA jurisdiction. At least one such machine will be deployed in five municipal corporations to ensure quick repair of potholes and damaged road stretches.

Highlighting concerns over road-cutting works by various agencies, Rao stressed the need for accountability. He instructed that all permissions for road cutting must be obtained through the MARCS software system. Moreover, if roads are not restored properly after completion of works, the civic body will undertake repairs and recover costs from the concerned agencies.

He further directed officials to expedite approvals for pending applications submitted by GAIL through the MARCS system to avoid project delays.

The comprehensive measures aim to streamline urban management, improve infrastructure maintenance, and ensure better road conditions for commuters across Bengaluru.