Half of 6,000 Abandoned Vehicle Reports in Bengaluru Found False Amid Parking Disputes

Nearly half of the more than 6,000 complaints submitted through Bengaluru Traffic Police's ASTraM app to report abandoned vehicles turned out to be false alarms, officials found after verification. Traffic police and civic corporations confirmed that only around 3,000 of the reported vehicles were genuinely abandoned, with many reports arising from neighbourhood parking disputes.

The drive to remove abandoned vehicles from city streets was launched by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda as part of a wider footpath clearance initiative conducted by the Greater Bengaluru Authority in coordination with the Bengaluru Traffic Police. To assist enforcement, authorities enabled a feature on the ASTraM app allowing residents to upload photos, vehicle details, and locations of unattended vehicles.

The app feature drew over 6,000 reports within two weeks. However, subsequent ground checks revealed that numerous flagged vehicles were actively in use and had merely been parked on public roads for short periods.

According to traffic police sources, several residents used the reporting mechanism to target neighbours during disputes over limited street parking. Vehicles belonging to families who had temporarily travelled to their hometowns were among those improperly reported.

Other misidentified vehicles included cars left parked outside residences while owners commuted using two-wheelers, as well as garage customers' vehicles awaiting repairs or pickup on nearby roads.

Following notices placed on their vehicles, several owners approached civic authorities and retrieved their vehicles after paying prescribed fines.

While authorities have not initiated punitive action against residents who filed inaccurate reports, the traffic police have cautioned the public against reporting vehicles without verifying whether they are truly abandoned. Officials noted that screening false claims diverts police manpower and resources away from routine public duties.