Towing van operators and the traffic policemen manning them continue to run amok while citizens continue to complain on how every rule in the book is violated by these “non-transport” vehicles.
Towing van operators and the traffic policemen manning them continue to run amok while citizens continue to complain on how every rule in the book is violated by these “non-transport” vehicles.
Though assigned the job of towing away illegally parked vehicles, towing vans used by Mumbai traffic police have themselves been found violating several laws. A case in point is the crushing death of a 54-year-old citizen by a speeding towing van in early November.
As per RTO norms, no vehicles should be loaded atop towing vans and the personnel accompanying these vans should be wearing a prescribed uniform. However, there are violations every second day, says DNA reader TK Cherian. “Once I saw a towing van carrying six to seven two-wheelers. So packed was the van that one of the two-wheelers was almost falling off,” said Cherian, who even clicked the van near Hiranandani Gardens in Powai.
“Seeing the attendant accompanying a van trying to open the door of a car, I asked the policeman who was inside the towing van and if it was “correct” to do so. The answer was ‘no one can question them’,” Cherian added.
Following the filing of a petition in the Bombay High Court by Gaurang Damani, a Matunga resident, urging that the court put a stop to harassment by towing vans, a number of contracts were cancelled and the process streamlined.
While deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Nandkumar Chougule refused to speak on the issue, none of the senior traffic police officials DNA contacted wanted to go on record. Earlier this month, when DNA had met joint commissioner of police (traffic) Vivek Phansalkar, he too promised action against violating towing vans.
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