Residents of MICO Layout have not been able to use the playground for over a decade now because the seized vehicles have been dumped there by the Police.
seized vehicles in BTM IInd stage
The Mico layout police station was previously located near the Self Financed Housing Scheme (SFHS) colony in BTM Layout 2nd stage. Due to lack of space within the police station compound, they dumped the seizedvehicles in the neighbouring playground. Though the police station has been moved to 16th Main a few months ago, the vehicles continue to languish at the playground.
As per rules, these vehicles should be auctioned off but they need authorisation from the vehicles owners, which is delaying the process. However the residents are unwilling to accept this reason. “They are giving the same excuse from the past twelve years,” Shubha Shivashankar, a local resident said.
Shubha says that the locals are throwing garbage in the same place. Though the BBMP cleans the place every day, they cannot do it properly as they cannot remove the vehicles to clean them. The residents say they are worried about robberies since many come to steal the parts from these abandoned vehicles. The residents have complained several times to the police and the local association, but no avail. “We even went on a dharna but nothing worked,” said Shubha.
seized vehicles in BTM IInd stage
The SFHS association members had sent a letter to the law and order department of the Mico Police five months ago asking them to clear the ground. “The police said that it would be cleared within three months. But, nothing has been done,” Tulsidas, the president of the association said.
Both the Mico Layout Police and the traffic police of the Mico Layout are blaming each other for dumping the vehicles. “We have brought all the vehicles seized by us to the new police station, when we shifted our base six months back,” says Janardhan C N, Inspector, Mico Layout police station. He thinks that the remaining vehicles might belong to the traffic police authority or the RTO.
The traffic police station is located twenty minutes away from the dumping site and the officials there say the vehicles are not theirs.
Meanwhile residents wait for answers.
It is commonly seen that the police dump seized vehicles whereever they find space. Many a time it’s on the footpath, blocking space for pedestrians. This used to be the case at the Pulikeshinagar police station. Similarly in Kengeri police station. ACP Praveen Sood maybe the right person to approach with regard to this.
one more addition to this apathy, next to Girinagar police station, two wheelers are dumped over decades in the adjoining site meant for park. Even BDa/BBMP has not bothered about this land. They will open their eyes only after some politician/land shark encroaches this land worth 10 crores. Local residents have pitched up already a fake board claiming this precious land. punish responsible officials before they escape1