Chennai: With the Chennai metropolis reeling under shortage of parking spaces to cater to the increasing number of vehicles, parking lots in city bus stands and railway stations have been occupied by abandoned motor-cycles.
According to CMBT police, 71 abandoned vehicles were found in 2016. The number had come down in 2017 to 63 vehicles. Though some vehicles are abandoned owing to the accidental deaths of the owners, others leave the vehicles to claim insurance money, a police official said.
“Vehicle owners would file complaints in police stations claiming their vehicles were stolen. After getting FIR copy they claim money from insurance firms,” the official added.
Meanwhile, employees at CMBT parking lot said that they would report to the police if they find vehicles abandoned for a long time.
“Due to this, vehicles occupying space, passengers suffer and they are forced to leave their vehicles in the open, exposing them to rain and sun,” K. Vignesh of Tambaram said.
However, police said that they had taken steps to return the vehicles to owners. “We have contacted some owners by getting contacts from the State Transport Authority (STA). We have sent postcards to 63 persons who left their vehicles in CMBT parking lots, but 52 owners only responded,” the police said.
The police also concerned that the abandoned vehicles not only occupy space, it also poses security threats to the public. The CMBT police also launched a Facebook page to post the pictures of abandoned vehicles, so that owners can claim their vehicles. “The page is useful as we had contacted few owners through Facebook,” the police said.
