Mumbai: This is why BMC's towing away your car

Decongestion, parity and discipline are among BMC's primary reasons for new parking fines in Mumbai, civic body explains after public ire

Following all the noise around BMC's new towing charges, civic authorities released a press statement explaining the high charges levied by the civic body on your towed vehicle. It includes towing charges, storage charges and other overhead charges, the statement said, adding that the contractor will only get towing charges, around Rs 400 per vehicle, as per the tender approved by traffic police. The fines, thus, are not to help the towing contractors, it clarified.

The civic body charged over Rs 2,500 for towed cars and heavy motor vehicles under the head of Towing Charges, raising several eyebrows as citizens feared that it was to help the contractors.

The fine story
The BMC began charging fines for vehicles parked in a 500-m radius of a public parking lot (PPL) — 29 of which exist across the city — from July 7. They can accommodate approximately 30,000 vehicles. The BMC has said that the decision was taken to decongest roads and not to generate any revenue, adding that it also aims at bringing in discipline. "If this means, people no more park vehicles in the 500-m radius of PPLs and we don't get any money as towing charges and fines, it would make the civic body happy and content," the statement read.

When the automobiles association raised queries about holding vehicle registrations, the civic body stated that the private vehicles are not to be parked on the roads. Explaining the issue, the BMC claimed that the problem was of the number of vehicles being brought into the city which was beyond its roads' carrying capacity thus leading to traffic congestion and pollution. As part of its solutions, the BMC is also subsidising BEST with cheaper tickets to encourage public transport.

Roads public property
"Roads are public goods made from taxes paid by citizens, majority of whom do not own vehicles. Roads serve a public service of providing mobility which is a mandatory duty of BMC," said the BMC spokesperson, adding, "Providing private storage space for your private possession on public property made from public funds contributed by non-vehicle owners is, however, theft of public resources for private goods."

Rs 2,500
Minimum fine for cars parked in 500-m radius of s PPL

Rs 400
Approximate amount towing contractors get per vehicle

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