Pune: Contract End of Towing Van Leads to Traffic Jams in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Pimpri Chinchwad, 27th July 2023: The termination of the towing van contract, which was used to address the issue of improperly parked bikes on the roads, has resulted in increased traffic congestion in the Pimpri-Chinchwad metropolis. With the absence of towing vans, the traffic police are now facing challenges in managing the situation.
The intersections of the city are now witnessing an alarming number of vehicles parked haphazardly, disrupting the flow of traffic. The traffic police are compelled to divert their focus from their primary responsibilities to remove wrongly parked bikes.
Before Pimpri-Chinchwad became an independent police commissionerate, Pune city police provided towing vans and cranes for this region. However, since becoming an independent commissionerate five years ago, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had taken the initiative to provide several essential facilities to the police. Nevertheless, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate encompasses not only the municipal limits but also PMRDA, Nagar Parishads, and Gram Panchayats.
To address the issue, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation had initially provided six towing vans for operation in Wakad, Sangvi, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Bhosari. However, the contract for these vans expired after June 24, leading to the absence of both municipal and police-operated towing vans in the city.
Each towing van had a team consisting of a policeman and at least five personnel who worked to lift wrongly parked bikes from the roads. The sight of these towing vans in action deterred motorists from parking in restricted zones and obstructing traffic flow. The revenue generated from fines imposed on violators was previously allocated to both the Municipal Corporation and the Police. However, with the expiration of the Municipal Corporation’s contract, the police are now facing limitations in taking effective action against unruly vehicles.
Even in the Hinjawadi area, notorious for severe traffic congestion and inadequate road planning, the municipal corporation did not provide towing vans. Consequently, the towing van designated for the joint area was utilized to address the issue of two-wheelers parked inappropriately in Hinjawadi. Currently, due to ongoing metro work in this region, the police are burdened with the responsibility of removing bikes and cars parked haphazardly on the roads.
Despite being beneficial in resolving traffic problems in areas like Pimple Saudagar, Rahatni, Kokane Chowk, Pimple Nilakh, Dapodi to Nigdi main road, Pimpri Market, Nigdi Authority, and Moshi Spine Road, these towing vans are currently unavailable.
Furthermore, the process of issuing online receipts for vehicles parked in no-parking zones takes a minimum of 10 minutes per employee. This added responsibility is forcing traffic police, who are assigned to regulate traffic at intersections, to divert their attention from their primary duties to handle the task of removing wrongly parked two-wheelers.
In response to the situation, the Assistant Commissioner of Police of Pimpri-Chinchwad Traffic Police has communicated with the Municipal Corporation regarding the matter.
However, despite assurances that the towing van contract would be canceled, and the vehicles would be handed over to the police within four to eight days, a month has passed without any availability of the required towing vans. As a result, not only two-wheelers but also cars are now being parked incorrectly on the roads without any fear of repercussions.
The absence of towing vans specifically designated for two-wheelers has created a situation where all types of vehicles are being parked without regard to regulations. In combination with monsoon-induced potholes on the roads that require timely filling by the police, the absence of towing vans is exacerbating the traffic jams in the city.
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