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Bengaluru: The city’s civic authorities are preparing for the first phase of a vehicle auction involving 50 vehicles that were towed for various reasons but remained unclaimed for months.
The vehicles had been moved to dumping yards after being towed from different parts of Bengaluru, including cases linked to traffic violations. Despite the stipulated period for owners to reclaim them, no owners or legal claimants have come forward for 50 vehicles.
With the vehicles continuing to occupy space and maintenance costs increasing, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) is preparing to initiate the auction process in accordance with the applicable rules.
Several vehicles towed from different locations across Bengaluru were shifted to dumping yards. Authorities have identified 50 vehicles whose owners or claimants could not be traced .
As the prescribed period for claiming the vehicles has expired, these vehicles are being treated as unclaimed vehicles for the proposed first-phase auction.
Officials are now preparing the necessary records and documentation before proceeding with the auction.
The decision to auction the vehicles has been taken after authorities found that their owners had not come forward to reclaim them within the stipulated period.
The civic body also has to deal with the increasing maintenance and storage costs associated with keeping unclaimed vehicles in dumping yards.
However, not every towed vehicle has remained unclaimed. Several owners have already paid the applicable penalties or fines and collected their vehicles from the dumping yards.
Only vehicles that were not reclaimed within the prescribed period are being considered for the unclaimed vehicle auction .
The first phase of the Bengaluru vehicle auction is being prepared for areas under the Bengaluru East and Bengaluru North civic zones .
Authorities are expected to verify the records of the vehicles currently stored in dumping yards and complete the required formalities before conducting the auction.
The process is expected to cover vehicles whose ownership could not be established or whose owners failed to claim them despite the opportunity provided.
Meanwhile, owners of vehicles towed in South Bengaluru have been given a final opportunity to reclaim their vehicles.
Authorities are allowing vehicle owners another 15 days to identify their vehicles and approach the concerned officials with the required documents.
If no owner or claimant comes forward during this final period, those vehicles could also be added to a future vehicle auction .
Owners who believe their vehicles may have been towed and moved to a dumping yard should contact the concerned civic authorities without delay.
They may need to provide the required vehicle and ownership documents and clear applicable penalties or charges to reclaim their vehicles, subject to verification by the authorities.
The latest development also highlights the civic authorities’ efforts to clear long-pending towed and unclaimed vehicles from dumping yards across Bengaluru.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Bengaluru |
| Authority | Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) |
| Vehicles identified for first phase | 50 unclaimed vehicles |
| Vehicle status | Towed and not reclaimed |
| Auction stage | Preparation underway |
| First-phase areas | Bengaluru East and Bengaluru North |
| South Bengaluru | Final 15-day opportunity for owners |
| Auction reason | Unclaimed vehicles and rising storage/maintenance burden |
The civic authorities are expected to complete the verification of vehicle records and other formalities before proceeding with the first-phase auction of 50 unclaimed vehicles .
For South Bengaluru, the final 15-day window gives owners one last chance to reclaim their vehicles. Vehicles that continue to remain unclaimed after the deadline could subsequently become eligible for auction.
Note: The auction date, reserve prices, inspection details and bidding procedure were not specified in the information provided and should be confirmed through the official GBA notification once released.
Bengaluru: The South City Corporation has stepped up action against vehicles abandoned on roads and public spaces within its jurisdiction, with officials directed to clear such vehicles and initiate the auction process for those shifted to the dumping yard.
Additional Commissioner Naveen Kumar held a meeting with officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO), traffic police and municipal departments and instructed them to complete the process within the stipulated timeline.
The move comes following directions from Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to expedite the identification, assessment and disposal of abandoned vehicles across the city.
According to officials, notices have so far been affixed to 328 abandoned vehicles across police station jurisdictions including Jayanagar, J.P. Nagar, K.S. Layout and Tilak Nagar .
Of these, 40 vehicles have already been shifted to the dumping yard .
Officials are continuing to identify more abandoned vehicles. Notices or stickers are currently being affixed to around 18 to 20 newly identified vehicles . These vehicle owners will be given seven days to respond before the vehicles are shifted to the dumping yard.
The civic body has made it clear that an RTO valuation report is mandatory before vehicles in the dumping yard can be auctioned.
Officials have been instructed to complete the valuation work on an urgent basis. The directions follow the Greater Bengaluru Development Minister's instruction that corporation officials should submit the vehicle valuation report within two days of receiving information about the vehicles.
The valuation will help determine the appropriate value of the abandoned vehicles before they are put up for disposal.
To improve coordination among various departments, officials have been asked to create a WhatsApp group involving traffic police, RTO officials and municipal engineers .
The group will be used to submit daily updates covering:
The daily reporting mechanism is expected to help officials monitor the Bengaluru abandoned vehicle auction process and ensure that vehicles are not left unattended for long periods.
Once the RTO valuation reports are submitted, corporation engineers will be responsible for initiating the auction or disposal process according to the applicable rules.
The vehicles will be disposed of through the government and Central Government-registered scrap vendor portals , as directed by the civic authorities.
The exercise is aimed at removing abandoned vehicles from roads and public areas while ensuring that eligible vehicles are disposed of through a regulated process.
The civic body's latest process involves several stages. First, abandoned vehicles are identified and notices are issued to their owners. If the vehicles remain unclaimed after the stipulated period, they can be shifted to the dumping yard.
The RTO then assesses the vehicles , after which the civic body can proceed with auction or disposal in accordance with applicable rules.
The latest drive is therefore expected to accelerate the auction of abandoned vehicles in Bengaluru , particularly those already moved to dumping yards.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | South City Corporation jurisdiction, Bengaluru |
| Vehicles issued notices | 328 |
| Vehicles shifted to dumping yard | 40 |
| New vehicles being identified | 18-20 |
| Notice period for newly identified vehicles | 7 days |
| Mandatory assessment | RTO valuation report |
| Departments involved | RTO, traffic police and municipal corporation |
| Disposal method | Auction/disposal as per rules |
| Vendors | Government and Central Government-registered scrap vendors |
BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has stepped up its campaign against abandoned vehicles Bengaluru , announcing that all unclaimed abandoned vehicles will be auctioned if owners fail to claim them within 15 days after official notice and towing.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda , who directed officials from the city's five corporations, police department and civic agencies to speed up the removal of abandoned vehicles occupying public roads and footpaths.
The initiative forms a major part of the 'Just Clean Bengaluru' drive , which officially began on August 1 to improve road safety, pedestrian movement and urban cleanliness across the city.
According to traffic police data presented during the review meeting, authorities have so far identified 6,576 abandoned vehicles across Bengaluru.
The figures include:
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Identified by Traffic Police | 2,533 |
| Citizen Complaints | 4,043 |
| Total Abandoned Vehicles | 6,576 |
Officials have already initiated enforcement against many of these vehicles.
Current progress includes:
The Minister instructed officials to issue public notices immediately after identifying abandoned vehicles.
Once a vehicle is towed and the owner is officially notified, a 15-day period will be provided to reclaim it.
If the owner fails to respond or collect the vehicle within this period, the vehicle will be disposed of through a public auction , ensuring abandoned vehicles no longer occupy valuable public space.
Officials were also directed to maintain complete digital and physical records of every vehicle identified, towed, released and auctioned to ensure transparency throughout the process.
To strengthen implementation of the campaign, every traffic police station in Bengaluru has been instructed to assign two dedicated personnel exclusively for the abandoned vehicle removal drive .
In addition:
The coordinated approach is expected to speed up vehicle identification, towing and auction proceedings.
Alongside vehicle removal, the government has intensified its campaign against road and footpath encroachments.
Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said officials have already reclaimed 773 kilometres of footpaths across Bengaluru by removing illegal encroachments.
He instructed civic authorities to:
Where space permits, officials were also asked to develop wider footpaths into aesthetically designed public spaces while ensuring uninterrupted pedestrian movement.
The Just Clean Bengaluru initiative aims to transform public spaces by removing abandoned vehicles, clearing encroachments and improving walkability throughout the city.
Officials believe abandoned vehicles not only reduce available road space but also create safety hazards, obstruct pedestrians and contribute to urban congestion.
The coordinated campaign between traffic police, municipal corporations and ward officials is expected to significantly improve Bengaluru's road infrastructure over the coming months.
GBA Begins City-Wide Action Against Abandoned Vehicles Blocking Roads and Footpaths
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has launched a major city-wide enforcement drive to remove abandoned vehicles lying on roads, footpaths, and public spaces across Bengaluru. The drive will begin from July 10, 2026, and will be carried out jointly by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) and the five city corporations under the GBA framework.
The initiative aims to clear public spaces, improve pedestrian movement, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance road safety. Authorities will identify unattended vehicles, issue notices to owners, tow unclaimed vehicles, and auction them if they are not reclaimed within the stipulated period.
The action is being taken under the provisions of the Greater Bengaluru Authority Act, 2024, particularly Section 324, which empowers authorities to remove unauthorized obstructions from public spaces.
Before the official launch of the campaign, Bengaluru Traffic Police officials identified around 1,581 abandoned vehicles across different parts of the city.
Among these, the highest number of abandoned vehicles were reported in the Central City Corporation zone, where 403 vehicles were identified .
Officials have started documenting these vehicles through photographs and GPS coordinates to maintain proper records and ensure transparent action.
Authorities have also started contacting vehicle owners and advising them to remove their vehicles before enforcement action begins.
Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that public roads and roadside spaces belong to citizens and cannot be occupied by abandoned vehicles.
He stated that such vehicles obstruct pedestrian movement, affect traffic flow, and have also contributed to accidents in several areas. Therefore, these vehicles need to be removed from public spaces.
The authorities have announced a step-by-step process for dealing with abandoned vehicles.
Officials from Bengaluru Traffic Police and civic authorities will place warning notices on identified abandoned vehicles.
At the same time, wheel clamps will be installed to prevent owners from moving the vehicles without completing the required process.
Vehicle owners will be given seven days to remove their vehicles from public spaces.
During this period, owners will have to pay a penalty of ₹500 and clear their vehicles.
Officials have clarified that owners who respond within the notice period will only need to pay the applicable fine.
If the owner fails to remove the vehicle within seven days, authorities will tow it away.
However, even after towing, owners will get an opportunity to reclaim their vehicles by paying:
If the vehicle remains unclaimed even after the recovery period, authorities will issue a public notice and proceed with auction proceedings.
Officials have warned that once the auction process is completed, no further claims regarding the vehicle will be accepted.
Therefore, vehicle owners have been advised to act immediately before their vehicles enter the auction process.
The GBA has encouraged citizens to participate in the campaign by reporting abandoned vehicles in their neighbourhoods.
Residents can use the Public Eye feature on the BTP-ASTraM mobile application to share information about vehicles lying unattended on roads, footpaths, or public areas.
After verification, authorities will follow the same notice, towing, and auction procedure.
The move is expected to help authorities identify more abandoned vehicles beyond the 1,581 vehicles already listed in the first phase.
The abandoned vehicle removal drive comes soon after Bengaluru’s Safe Footpath Campaign , which focused on removing encroachments and improving pedestrian accessibility.
Under the campaign, authorities have already cleared around 432 kilometres of footpaths across the city.
Officials have reiterated that footpaths are meant exclusively for pedestrians and cannot be occupied by vehicles, commercial activities, or other permanent obstructions.
The government has also referred to Supreme Court observations that recognize safe pedestrian movement as an important public right.
Authorities highlighted that pedestrian safety remains a major concern in Bengaluru.
According to officials, nearly 30% of road accident fatalities in Bengaluru involve pedestrians , making it necessary to ensure that footpaths remain free from obstacles.
The government has set a target of improving pedestrian movement across nearly 2,000 kilometres of priority roads in Bengaluru.
Removing abandoned vehicles is expected to improve:
While many residents have welcomed the removal of illegal obstructions and abandoned vehicles, street vendor associations have raised concerns about the impact of civic clearance campaigns on livelihoods.
Several vendor groups representing nearly two lakh street vendors have requested the government to balance enforcement actions with livelihood protection measures.
They have urged authorities to create a system where urban improvement and rehabilitation can happen together.
Vehicle owners in Bengaluru should immediately check whether their unused vehicles are parked on public roads, footpaths, or open spaces.
They should:
Authorities have clearly stated that vehicles left unattended will face towing and possible auction action.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority’s abandoned vehicle removal drive marks a stricter approach toward managing public spaces in the city.
With more than 1,581 vehicles already identified, authorities are focusing on improving pedestrian safety, reducing road obstructions, and making Bengaluru’s streets cleaner and safer.
Vehicle owners have been advised to remove unattended vehicles immediately to avoid penalties, towing charges, and the risk of losing their vehicles through auction.
