Bengaluru: In top gear after clearing miles and miles of footpath encroachments, the Karnataka govt is now set to move out hundreds of vehicles long abandoned on the city’s roads, in residential layouts and public spaces.Five city corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority, in coordination with Bengaluru Traffic Police, will launch a citywide drive on Friday to identify, seize and auction such vehicles that further reduce carriageway.With shrinking road space and parking shortage, civic authorities said they have been receiving complaints from Resident Welfare Associations seeking removal of such vehicles.Officials said many such vehicles have remained on public property for months. They affect pedestrian movement, restrict emergency vehicle access and turn into dumping spots for garbage as well as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents.The drive will be carried out under Section 324 of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Act, 2024. As part of the exercise, officials will identify abandoned vehicles and affix a statutory notice directing owners to remove them within seven days. The vehicles will simultaneously be locked with wheel clamps to prevent unauthorised movement during the notice period.If the owner fails to remove the vehicle in seven days, the joint enforcement teams will tow and seize it. The seized vehicles will subsequently be disposed of through public auction in accordance with the provisions of the GBA Act. Officials said no claims over the vehicles will be entertained once the auction process is completed.The civic authorities have urged vehicle owners to voluntarily shift unused vehicles parked on public roads to private premises before the drive begins to avoid confiscation and auction.A commissioner of one of the city corporations told TOI that they have to publish a notification in newspapers and the notice period begins after that. “We are awaiting a final order from GBA chief commissioner (Maheshwar Rao) to launch the crackdown,” the commissioner said.SEIZE AND AUCTION* Identified abandoned vehicles will be affixed with a sticker notice granting the owner 7 days to remove the vehicle* A wheel clamp will be fitted to the vehicle at the time the notice is affixed* If the vehicle is not claimed and removed within the 7-day period, it will be towed and seized* All seized vehicles will subsequently be put up for public auction as per GBA Act. No further claims will be entertained
