In the first phase, towing vehicles will be deployed in high-density corridors and stretches that frequently witness traffic congestion due to haphazard parking.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
In less than a week, towing of wrongly parked vehicles will return to the city, as Bengaluru’s city corporations have procured tow vehicles and are planning to press them into service next week.
A well-placed source confirmed to The Hindu that the East and South division police have received two towing vehicles each, while the North and West divisions are expected to receive theirs in the next few days.
West Corporation Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said that the tender process has been finalised and the order would be issued soon. “We are procuring 10 towing vehicles, and one will be allotted to each constituency,” he told The Hindu.
In the first phase, towing vehicles will be deployed in high-density corridors and stretches that frequently witness traffic congestion due to haphazard parking. However, a senior police officer confirmed that an action plan detailing the timing, stretches, and locations for deployment is yet to be drawn up.
The primary concern that led to the suspension of towing operations earlier was due to harassment during the removal of vehicles. In 2022 when the BJP was ruling the State, then Home Minister Araga Jnanendra ordered a halt to towing operations after receiving multiple complaints of harassment by private towing agencies. Several videos surfaced online showing touts harassing motorists for money, leaving the Police Department red-faced.
To address the issue, the police decided to completely exclude private players from towing operations this time and instead involve the city corporations. This move was first discussed between the traffic police and officials of the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) about seven months ago.
The traffic police had requested the BBMP to procure towing vehicles and assist in the exercise. As per the understanding between the two departments, city corporations will now provide towing services, while the police will oversee the imposition of fines. “The revenue generated from the fines will be shared between the corporation and the police department,” the officer told The Hindu.
If everything goes as planned, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) will deploy towing vehicles from next week in at least 15 of the 96 corridors earlier identified for restarting towing operations. Traditionally, the BTP collected ₹4 to ₹5 crore annually through towing-related fines. However, the department now expects revenue of around ₹1 crore, as the exercise will initially be limited to selected locations.
Published – January 21, 2026 06:56 pm IST
