The Pune city traffic police have resumed towing illegally parked vehicles after the state government renewed the contract with a towing van firm and the home department for three months on June 13. The contract had expired in November 2025 and could not be renewed due to the continuous implementation of the Model Code of Conduct during various elections in the state. For the past seven months, the traffic police were unable to tow away illegally parked vehicles, leading to severe traffic congestion.
Resumption of Towing Services
Sandip Bhajibhakare, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), stated that currently, 18 towing vans are in service, and another 12 are expected to resume operations soon. The towing vans are equipped with CCTV cameras to prevent any confrontations with motorists. The absence of towing services had made traffic management extremely challenging, especially during peak hours, as vehicles were consistently parked on major arterial roads and busy stretches near schools and offices.
Impact on Traffic
The city experienced frequent traffic jams and congestion due to improperly parked vehicles occupying the carriageway. In the absence of towing vans, police personnel were compelled to take action by photographing illegally parked vehicles and issuing online challans. Bhajibhakare noted that in some parts of the city, the vans have already resumed operations, while in others, action continues through online challans. He expressed hope that the traffic situation will improve after the full resumption of towing services.
Before the contract expired, the Pune city traffic police used to take action against over 1,500 vehicles per day. The renewal of the contract is expected to restore this level of enforcement and ease traffic congestion.
