Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation has asked owners to remove vehicles, idling for months and years, from roadsides in three days or face seizure and auction. Officials have so far removed 279 abandoned vehicles. Another 236 are to be removed before June 15.The corporation notices, giving owners a 72-hour ultimatum to claim their vehicles, have been pasted on the abandoned vehicles. “The vehicles will be taken to the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dumpyards. They will be auctioned following due procedures in tie up with the metal scrap trade corporation of Union govt,” said GCC commissioner Dr G S Sameeran.The corporation has identified more than 500 such vehicles, of which 80% are four-wheelers, 10% are three-wheelers and the remaining two-wheelers.In a survey done in 2024, the civic body identified 1,310 vehicles for removal. More than 800 vehicles were removed but they couldn’t be auctioned due to delays in police clearances as many were associated with criminal cases.So, while some vehicles were left in the dumpyard, some others were not allowed to be removed from their spots by police. GCC officials said their assistant engineers have been instructed to survey bus route roads and identify idling vehicles.The officials have also been directed to take vehicles unfit for auction to Chindadripet to be scrapped.Tamil Nadu govt does not have a govt-designated scrapyard yet and the state transport department has proposed to create one on the outskirts of the city.
