Bengaluru: Motorists parking in no-parking zones risk their vehicles being towed away as authorities reintroduce operations after a four-year gap.The towing will be done by vehicles owned by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and operated by its staff. Fine for parking violation remains Rs 500. Additionally, two-wheelers are charged Rs 650 and four-wheelers Rs 1,000 by way of towing charges. Unlike the earlier system that relied on private ‘Tiger’ towing vehicles, the new system is being supervised by the police, with an assistant sub-inspector leading each operation. Traffic police maintain that illegal parking, often spanning across multiple lanes on busy roads, is a major contributor to congestion in the city.Bengaluru police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said the rollout has already begun in Bengaluru Central City Corporation and Bengaluru West City Corporation. “Soon, it will be extended to the other divisions as well,” he told TOI. Joint commissioner (traffic) Kartik Reddy said the move is aimed at tackling the worsening traffic congestion caused by illegal parking. “The towing vehicles will have CCTV cameras fitted at the front and back. Upon spotting any parking violation, police will make an announcement and wait a few minutes for the vehicle to be removed. Thereafter, it will be towed away,” he explained. Officials added that all personnel involved, including the ASI, will be equipped with body-worn cameras to ensure transparency. Towing of vehicles was suspended in Feb 2022, following complaints of unruly behaviour by private towing staff and allegations of corruption involving traffic police personnel.Since then, the authorities had relied on wheel clamps to penalise violators, but officials said the measure proved ineffective as vehicles remained stuck in one place.
