NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and traffic police department will resume lifting of two-wheelers, and towing of four-wheelers from no-parking zones from Tuesday. High charges of INR 760 will be recovered from motorcyclists and INR 1,020 for four-wheelers.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI, “NMC floated tender and appointed private operator as per request from traffic police department. It was the need of the hour to ease congestion on roads and enable hassle-free movement of vehicles. Improper parking or parking in no-parking zones encroaches on a good part of the road leaving less space for traffic. It also causes mishaps. The city is fortunate to have wide roads but they have become narrow for traffic due to improper parking. Therefore, the initiative has been taken to engage a private operator.”
Traffic police department will get the work done from private operator Vipldecofurn Consortium, between 8am and 9pm. From Tuesday, the work will start from three of ten traffic divisions — Sitabuldi, Sadar and Sonegaon. Trial was conducted by traffic police and operator on Monday.
Vice-president (operations) Preeti Lanjekar of Vipldecofurn Consortium told TOI, “There will be no damage to vehicles as we have facilitated hydraulic systems in vehicles engaged to lift two-wheelers and tow four-wheelers. Earlier, staffers used to lift and load two-wheelers, thus causing damage. Our vehicle will lift two-wheelers with hydraulic system and place it in safe space inside. Only six two-wheelers can be loaded at a time in the vehicle. Similarly, the two-wheelers will be unloaded with hydraulic system.”
The operator has engaged vehicles to tow four-wheelers with latest technology hydraulic system to prevent any damage to the vehicles. Earlier, the traffic police used to place jammers in front wheel of four-wheeler and never used to tow. This would be the first time four-wheelers will be towed.
The operator has provided a software and device to traffic policemen who will be moving with the vehicles. The policemen will first click two pictures of the vehicles using the device to have proof of vehicle being parked in no-parking zone or in improper manner. Then, challan will be generated by traffic policemen followed by lifting of two-wheeler and towing of four-wheeler.
Lanjekar added they have provided the same software being used in Pune and Mumbai. “We have ensured this to maintain uniform system across the state,” she said. The operator has also provided cashless facility for paying the charges through online systems, QR code and cards, which were not available earlier.
Major setback to people facing fines will be that they will have to cough up high charges. In 2015, charges were INR 175 for two-wheeler, till the lifting of vehicles was stopped in 2017.
The traffic police department has no provision to float tender and appoint private agency. Therefore, the traffic police department requested NMC to do it. Accordingly, NMC started the process in 2018 to engage private operator, which was completed recently.
This is the first time NMC has become involved in lifting of two-wheelers. The civic body will also get revenue from it for the first time.
Unfortunately, NMC and traffic police have not ensured signboards highlighting parking and no-parking zones across the city. The signs are in place only on a few major roads and main market places, which is likely to lead to some controversy.
