Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Wednesday launched a drive to shift 11,346 seized vehicles from police station premises across Bengaluru to seven designated locations, aiming to free up space and ease inconvenience to the public.
The drive was launched from the Jayanagar police station limits by the Greater Bengaluru Authority in coordination with the police and revenue departments. Officials said many seized vehicles had remained inside police station compounds for five, 10 and even 15 years while being linked to pending traffic, accident and criminal cases.
Vehicles to be moved to seven locations
Speaking to reporters, Gowda, who holds the Greater Bengaluru Development portfolio, said the government had been identifying long-pending issues affecting residents and taking steps to address problems encountered in their daily lives.
He said police station premises across the city had become crowded with seized vehicles that had remained there for years. Many had deteriorated because of prolonged exposure to weather and neglect, with some vehicles now in a condition worse than scrap.
According to Gowda, residents had also complained that vehicles parked around police stations were obstructing movement. In some instances, vehicles had reportedly caught fire. He added that the accumulation of vehicles and garbage around them could also create conditions that indirectly encourage illegal activities.
The minister said several MLAs and MPs had raised the issue and sought a permanent solution to the long-standing problem.
“In coordination with the police and revenue department, we have now launched an operation to clear vehicles that have been seized and have been lying around police stations for decades,” Gowda said.
26 acres allocated for vehicle storage
Gowda said preparatory meetings had been conducted over the past two months to find a practical solution for the seized vehicles.
Since many of the vehicles are connected to court cases, authorities cannot simply dispose of or remove them without following the required legal process. Gowda said suggestions had been made to seek special arrangements for clearing the vehicles, but courts had indicated that the cases could not be fast-tracked.
The police department subsequently sought alternative locations where the vehicles could be stored until the related cases were disposed of.
The revenue department has now provided 26 acres of land at seven locations for the temporary storage of seized vehicles. Fencing is also being provided at the sites, while custody of the locations is being handed over to the police department.
The shifting process began on Wednesday.
Gowda said the authorities would attempt to move as many vehicles as possible over the next month.
“This is not a problem that has arisen today. It has been a problem for the Police Department for the last 15 to 20 years. We will shift as many of these vehicles as possible within the next one month,” he said.
Vehicles linked to pending cases
The 11,346 vehicles identified for shifting include those seized in connection with traffic violations, accidents and criminal cases.
Officials said the vehicles could not be cleared from police records and disposed of while the cases associated with them remained pending before the courts. As a result, police stations have had to retain the vehicles for prolonged periods, leaving limited space within and around their premises.
Moving them to designated sites is intended to ensure that the vehicles remain available when required for investigations or court proceedings while freeing police station compounds for their primary functions.
The initiative could also improve access and movement around police stations, particularly at locations where large numbers of seized vehicles have accumulated over the years.
Drive against abandoned vehicles also underway
Gowda said the government was simultaneously working on another operation to remove abandoned vehicles from public roads and footpaths.
So far, notices have been pasted on 2,024 abandoned vehicles. Owners who fail to come forward to claim their vehicles are being subjected to towing action, he said.
The minister also pointed to another category of vehicles occupying public and government space — government vehicles that have become unusable.
“I have taken note of them, and we will speak to all the concerned departments and undertake a drive to clear those vehicles as well,” Gowda said.
The separate measures are aimed at addressing vehicle-related congestion not only within police station compounds but also on public roads and footpaths.
Focus on clearing long-pending civic problems
The shifting of seized vehicles is part of a broader effort to address issues that have remained unresolved for years. Rather than attempting to dispose of vehicles that are still connected to legal proceedings, authorities have opted to relocate them to designated storage sites.
For the police, the move could help reclaim space that has gradually been occupied by seized vehicles. For residents, clearing the areas around police stations could improve accessibility and reduce obstructions.
The government has indicated that the shifting operation will continue over the coming month, with authorities expected to move as many of the identified vehicles as possible.
The initiative also highlights the challenge posed by long-pending court cases, where vehicles seized during investigations can remain in police custody for years. By providing alternative storage locations, authorities are seeking to separate the issue of vehicle storage from the functioning of police station premises while retaining the vehicles until the relevant cases are settled.