MUMBAI: 124sq ft – the space occupied by an abandoned vehicle on Mumbai’s streets, and there are thousands parked all over. Do the math and that’s how much space could be unlocked by the latest initiative to clear away junk vehicles.
Launched last month, the drive is now being ramped up. A review meeting was held at the civic headquarters on Wednesday, to assess the progress of the operation. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also floated tenders to appoint a private agency to execute the drive.
The civic administration believes this system will be more efficient than the previous one, where multiple authorities, including the traffic police, Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and the civic ward offices were responsible for clearing away abandoned vehicles. Staff shortages and lack of proper coordination between the various authorities rendered the process slow and inefficient.
Outsourcing the task, the civic administration believes, will cut through red tape, speed up the process and introduce accountability. The agency will work alongside the BMC’s administrative departments and at the ward level to clear junk vehicles quickly and efficiently.
Bhushan Gagrani, municipal commissioner, said, “There can be no compromise or delay when it comes to the ease of mobility for the people of Mumbai. Abandoned, defective and junk vehicles parked on the sides of roads create significant obstacles to the smooth flow of traffic and public convenience.”
Gagrani said strict action will be taken to ensure “Abandoned Vehicle-Free” and “Obstacle-Free” roads. The primary goal is not punitive action but clearing road clutter, thus facilitating smoother transportation across the city.
He said the private agency as well as civic officials should involve the police in special campaigns to assist in the removal of these vehicles. By working together with the police administration, the BMC aims to conduct coordinated operations to clear not just abandoned vehicles, but also any unauthorised scrap material left around the city.
Nodal officers may be appointed at the administrative department level to improve coordination between the police, contractors and BMC officials.