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Chandigarh, July 2
Thousands of vehicles that had been lying for years in police stations across Punjab are finally being cleared after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed authorities to speed up the disposal of unclaimed vehicles. Punjab Police says it disposed of 7,402 impounded vehicles in the past month, reducing pressure on police stations while continuing to seize vehicles linked to traffic offences and alleged illegal activities.
Before the campaign began, police stations across the state were holding 55,721 vehicles. During the same period, officers impounded another 3,355 vehicles, taking the total to 59,076. After the disposal drive, the number of vehicles in police custody has fallen to 51,674. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the disposal was part of a wider effort to improve police administration alongside intensified vehicle checks.
“Owing to intensified checking of vehicles and action against offenders, Punjab Police has been running various programmes. In the last month, police impounded 3,355 vehicles, while 7,402 were disposed of through smooth and professional follow-up,” he said.
The force said legal procedures are continuing for thousands of other vehicles. Applications involving 8,121 vehicles are currently under legal scrutiny, while another 1,276 cases covered under Section 52A of the NDPS Act are awaiting legal attestation of inventories and photographs before disposal can proceed.
The largest number of vehicles cleared came from the Jalandhar Commissionerate, which disposed of 779 vehicles. Moga cleared 697 vehicles, followed by Bathinda with 631, Ferozepur with 586, Ludhiana (Rural) with 538, Ludhiana Commissionerate with 460, Tarn Taran with 302 and Fazilka with 283.
Special DGP (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar Sinha said the exercise reflected the force’s focus on both policing and efficient legal administration.
He said Punjab Police would continue to speed up the release and disposal of vehicles in accordance with legal procedures to ensure police stations are not burdened with long-pending impounded vehicles.
