Mumbai Police receive brickbats for new no-towing policy

The no-towing policy introduced in the city for a week seems to have created problems instead of solving them. With increasing arguments between motorists and officers, and traffic snarls on arterial roads, traffic police are now feeling the heat of decision. mid-day spoke to traffic police officers about this policy, and they said there is no alternative to towing in the city, especially on vital roads.

New Mumbai Commissioner of Police (CP) Sanjay Pandey had declared on March 5 that vehicles parked in ‘no-parking' areas or those that obstruct traffic will not be towed. Only a challan would be issued to the motorists. There were rumours that the decision was taken to give a jolt to a towing company that is associated with an Opposition party leader.

Cars parked on the road opposite Patkar Hall, at Churchgate, on Wednesday

A traffic police officer from South Mumbai said, "The roads in South Mumbai are so narrow that only two vehicles can ply per lane. If one of it is blocked by a parked vehicle and it doesn't get towed, then it creates backlog of vehicles. Since Sunday, we are trying to comply with decision, but we hope we are allowed to tow".

Another traffic police officer from Central Mumbai said, "The railway station area is most congested due to parking. Since this policy has been introduced we have to regularly patrol and ask people to move their vehicles. It leads to arguments and at times altercations as well, now managing these vehicles has become a head ache".

A traffic police officer from Western Mumbai said, "SV Road gets jammed even if a vehicle breaks down in between. Citizens are aware that there are few traffic cops to reach every vehicle parked on the road or in a no parking zone. The problem is very complex and needs a strategic solution".

Experts speak

Chetan Bordawekar hon. secretary, Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai/ Suburbs, an NGO working on various projects on Mumbai Transportation System, said, "I don't understand the logic behind this. Parked vehicles that affect traffic needs to be removed and the owner has to be fined, that's how we can keep the discipline in the city. This ‘no towing policy' will become ‘park anywhere policy'. It's been only a few days and many motorists are seeing that as there is no towing, especially in South Mumbai, it is already creating traffic jams."

"The current towing system needs improvement such as sirens for vehicles, warning announcement to remove the vehicle, also signage directing to parking lots. But this doesn't happen, the senior police should focus on this," Bordawekar said.

A V Shenoy, senior traffic expert, said, "Everyone knows towing is the only way to decongest the road, but the parking problem has become such a huge one that removing one vehicle doesn't make any difference. The no-towing policy has given that message to motorists that you can't get away with paying fines but your vehicles will be clamped and you have to go to the traffic division to get them removed. I believe barring people from parking in no-parking zone and directing them to parking lots, which usually lie vacant, needs to be done.

"This no-towing policy is fine in small lanes, but when it comes to major roads, spot towing is necessary to clear them. In Dharavi the whole 90 feet road gets jammed during the evening, so much that, even a small BEST bus can't pass through it," said Mushtaq Ansari, a whistleblower on road safety.

5 March
Day the new CP declared the decision

All sides unhappy

A traffic police officer
‘Since this policy was intro-duced, we regularly patrol and ask people to move their vehicles. It leads to argume-nts and at times altercations. Managing these vehicles now has become a head ache'

Chetan Bordawekar of an NGO
‘I don't understand the logic behind this. Parked vehicles that affect traffic needs to be removed... that's how we can keep the discipline in the city. This ‘no towing policy' will become ‘park anywhere policy'