The vans undergo No fitness tests
Following Thursday's accident involving an allegedly drunk traffic head constable at Ghatkopar, towing vans used by the city traffic police have come under the scanner once again. Activists and transport experts are pointing fingers at the absence of a proper policy and a monitoring process for such incidents.
Since the vehicles fall under the category of non-transport vehicles, they are not subjected to the annual fitness tests that public transport vehicles have to go through.
"There was a huge nexus involving the traffic police over the towing vans. I stay in Matunga and used to see a large number of these wagons concentrated in one area. When I got details, I found that there were more than the required number of towing vans in the city — which is 75 to 80 vans," said Gaurang Damani, a resident of Matunga who had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court a few years ago against the harassment he faced at the hands of the traffic police. It was after his petition that a number of contracts were cancelled and the process was streamlined.
As if being slapped with a fine is not enough hassle, offenders also have to shell out towing charges.
Damani says his vehicle parked in a by-lane in Matunga was towed away by the traffic police even when there wasn't a no-parking signboard. "Neither was my car obstructing traffic," he claimed. The Matunga traffic police collected Rs100 as fine and asked him to pay an additional Rs200 as towing charges to one Himalayan Towings.
MNS activist Chetan Ramesh Pednekar, who had filed an RTI on towing vans, said about two-thirds of the amount collected as fines go to the towing company. "It looks like a big scam. There are about 61 private towing vans at 25 traffic police chowkis in Mumbai. Is it not possible for the city's traffic police to have vans of their own? Why are private contractors involved at all?"
When he asked for data on how much money changed hands in the last five years, he found out that contractors earned more than traffic cops.
RTO officials said towing vans, both used by auto service stations and the city police on annual contracts, need to be subjected to regular fitness checks.
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Following Thursday's accident involving an allegedly drunk traffic head constable at Ghatkopar, towing vans used by the city traffic police have come under the scanner once again. Activists and transport experts are pointing fingers at the absence of a proper policy and a monitoring process for such incidents.
Since the vehicles fall under the category of non-transport vehicles, they are not subjected to the annual fitness tests that public transport vehicles have to go through.
"There was a huge nexus involving the traffic police over the towing vans. I stay in Matunga and used to see a large number of these wagons concentrated in one area. When I got details, I found that there were more than the required number of towing vans in the city — which is 75 to 80 vans," said Gaurang Damani, a resident of Matunga who had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court a few years ago against the harassment he faced at the hands of the traffic police. It was after his petition that a number of contracts were cancelled and the process was streamlined.
As if being slapped with a fine is not enough hassle, offenders also have to shell out towing charges.
Damani says his vehicle parked in a by-lane in Matunga was towed away by the traffic police even when there wasn't a no-parking signboard. "Neither was my car obstructing traffic," he claimed. The Matunga traffic police collected Rs100 as fine and asked him to pay an additional Rs200 as towing charges to one Himalayan Towings.
MNS activist Chetan Ramesh Pednekar, who had filed an RTI on towing vans, said about two-thirds of the amount collected as fines go to the towing company. "It looks like a big scam. There are about 61 private towing vans at 25 traffic police chowkis in Mumbai. Is it not possible for the city's traffic police to have vans of their own? Why are private contractors involved at all?"
When he asked for data on how much money changed hands in the last five years, he found out that contractors earned more than traffic cops.
RTO officials said towing vans, both used by auto service stations and the city police on annual contracts, need to be subjected to regular fitness checks.
'We're running a check on the vehicle used' |
Vivek Phansalkar (in pic), the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), sets the record straight over the action taken in the case How did the accident at Ghatkopar occur? It was a case of gross negligence and the crime is unpardonable. We will make sure that the case is investigated thoroughly and will take the strictest possible action. What action have you taken as yet? The head constable of the Vikhroli division of the traffic police, Arun Kadam, committed a crime by allowing a person without a driving licence to drive the towing van. We have placed him under suspension and are inquiring into the case. What about the towing van that was involved in the accident? We will have to verify the files and check its background. We can make no offhand comments on it. What are your suggestions regarding such cases? The public has to understand our nature of work. It was not fair to beat up a constable who was not even involved in the case. It was a serious crime and there will be action. The public should not lose confidence in the system and the police force. |
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