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In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the crane towing system operated under the joint enforcement campaign of the Municipal Corporation and the Traffic Police has come under serious controversy. City citizens, local businessmen and social workers have openly alleged alleged nexus between top municipal corporation officials and crane contractors.
Complainants say that in the name of removing illegal parking and encroachment in the city, a double standard is being openly adopted. On the one hand, despite dozens of vehicles parked haphazardly throughout the day on the service lanes and main roads outside big private medical institutions like Medanta Hospital on Shaheed Path and Chandan Hospital on Faizabad Road, the Municipal Corporation’s cranes do not even move there, on the other hand, the vehicles of the general public that were stopped for a few minutes around Lulu Mall, Gomti Nagar’s Fun Republic Mall, INOX and Hazratganj were immediately pulled out by cranes. Goes. At the local level, allegations are being made that only those institutions or areas that do not allegedly provide ‘mahina’ or undue benefits are being driven hard, while rules are being flouted in areas where collusion is taking place.
When we examine the operation of cranes on the streets of the capital, there is a clear disparity in action:
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Condition outside Medanta and Chandan Hospital: Thousands of patients and relatives visit these two big super-specialty hospitals located on Shaheed Path and Faizabad Road every day. When the designated parking capacity within hospitals falls short, vehicles are parked in service lanes, footpaths and main carriageways, resulting in severe traffic jams during peak hours. Local people seriously allege that due to the hospital management and the alleged administrative misunderstanding at the local level, towing vehicles never take action here.
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Strict security outside Lulu Mall, Fun Mall and Inox: On the contrary, if passengers coming from outside around Lulu Mall on Shaheed Path or Fun Mall and multiplexes in Gomti Nagar drop someone or stop for a while on the roadside, the crane personnel forcibly tow the vehicle without giving any warning or announcement.
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Recovery and fine game: After towing the vehicle, drivers are charged heavy fines ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹2,500 and towing charges. It is alleged that this entire exercise is not being done to improve the traffic, but to fulfill the daily target of private crane contractors and the system of illegal commission.
The anger of citizens and social organizations regarding this biased action has now focused directly on the working style of the head of the department and the Municipal Commissioner. Social workers say that until the entire matter is investigated impartially by an independent agency, this organized arbitrariness going on in the name of parking and towing will not stop.
Civil organizations and legal experts have sought intervention from the Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Department and higher officials of the government and have raised the demand for investigation on the following points:
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Audit of Crane Tenders and Revenue: A thorough financial investigation should be conducted into the contracts given by the Municipal Corporation to private crane operators, the ratio of daily challan of vehicles and the amount deposited in the government treasury.
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Video monitoring of regional bias: Based on CCTV and GPS data, it should be investigated on which specific roads the cranes were most active in the last 6 months and how many vehicles were lifted from in front of big private institutions.
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Investigation of commission taking syndicate: It should be investigated whether any secret channel of alleged monthly extortion is running between the crane mafia and the enforcement squad of the Municipal Corporation.
Under traffic and municipal rules, certain mandatory procedures are required to be followed before lifting any vehicle, which is being completely ignored on the ground:
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Mandatory warning on loudspeaker: According to the rules, before lifting the vehicle parked in no-parking area on the crane, the owner should be given 2 to 3 minutes time by speaking the vehicle number through loudspeaker/mike. But the crane workers come secretly and pull the vehicle away by the time the owner arrives.
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Presence of person inside the vehicle: If any elderly, woman, child or sick person is sitting inside the vehicle, then it cannot be towed under any circumstances. Despite this, many times serious disputes and accidents have occurred due to attempts to forcibly pull the vehicle.
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Damage to the vehicle: Bumpers, suspensions and gearboxes of luxury and automatic cars get damaged while installing clamps or hydro-lifting by clumsy crane operators, for which no compensation is paid by the corporation or the contractor.
If a driver feels that his vehicle has been towed illegally or recovery is being done against the rules, he can take recourse to these legal options:
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Rule of on-the-spot invoicing: According to the rules of the Motor Vehicle Act, if the vehicle owner reaches the spot during the process of tying or lifting the vehicle by the crane, then the crane cannot forcibly tow it to the yard. In such a situation, it is mandatory to issue only the prescribed no-parking challan and leave the vehicle there.
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Digital Evidence and Video Recording: Quickly capture video of crane personnel misbehaving or pulling vehicles. Ask for government seal, crane number and e-challan receipt on the slip.
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IGRS and Jansunwai Portal: Direct complaint of discriminatory action can be lodged on the Chief Minister’s Public Hearing Portal (IGRS Portal) along with location, time and number of the crane.
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Information on helpline: In case of extortion or dispute, immediately call UP 112 and Municipal Corporation helpline number 1533 and lodge an official complaint about the incident.