Chandigarh Police have published a detailed list of 601 seized vehicles, urging owners to claim them within one month before they are auctioned or disposed of through other legal processes.
These vehicles were impounded during 2024 for various reasons — including traffic violations, incomplete documents, and abandoned status — but most owners have failed to reclaim them despite multiple notices.
The seized list includes vehicles registered in Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan, and a few even lack number plates. Many unclaimed vehicles reportedly belong to temporary residents who came to Chandigarh for work or studies and later left the city without retrieving their vehicles.
Total Seized Vehicles: 601
Two-wheelers: 554
Four-wheelers and others: 47
Storage Location: Chandigarh Traffic Police Line, Sector-29
Due to the accumulation of unclaimed vehicles, authorities are facing space shortages at police yards and are now taking strict measures for their disposal.
The Sector-31 Police Station has also released its own list of unclaimed vehicles (models from 2010 to 2024). Notices were sent to registered owners, but most were returned undelivered. Owners now have 30 days to approach the police with valid proof and claim their vehicles — failing which, the vehicles will be auctioned publicly.
The Chandigarh Police have published vehicle details such as registration number, chassis number, engine number, make/model, and date of seizure to help owners identify their property. Interested individuals can contact the respective police station for verification and recovery procedures.
Chandigarh Police has issued a strict directive stating that seized vehicles lying unclaimed in police stations will be auctioned if their owners fail to collect them within one month. Earlier, notices were sent to the registered addresses of vehicle owners, but many turned out to be invalid, with owners no longer living there.
The Sector-31 police station has drawn up a list of 106 unclaimed vehicles, which include cars, scooters, Activas, autos, and even high-end luxury cars. Despite repeated notices, the owners have not come forward. The police have now given them a final opportunity before auctioning the vehicles.
Officials explained that police stations across the city are running out of space due to hundreds of abandoned vehicles. The issue has also reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, prompting an urgent need to clear seized vehicles.
The identified vehicles are registered not only in Chandigarh but also in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. The vehicles range from 2011 to 2024 models.
Experts cite multiple reasons for the vehicles being left unclaimed:
Some were seized after accidents.
A few are linked to theft cases.
Owners who had come to Chandigarh for jobs or studies shifted out due to transfers.
In several cases, incorrect addresses were mentioned in the registration documents.
According to new legal provisions, police stations are now required to dispose of seized vehicles within 30 days if owners fail to claim them. With this move, Chandigarh Police aims to clear space and prevent further congestion in police station premises.