Nagpur: Nearly 300 abandoned vehicles parked along roadsides and footpaths across the city have been removed by traffic police in just three days as part of a month-long special drive to ease congestion and clear pedestrian pathways.The initiative, launched under the direction of DCP (Traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar, has also received a good public response, with citizens reporting around 80 such vehicles through WhatsApp.According to traffic police, abandoned vehicles have become a common sight along several busy stretches, particularly in commercial areas, where they obstruct traffic and force pedestrians onto roads.Mirkhelkar said the action so far had been concentrated in key business hubs such as Sitabuldi, Cotton Market and Sadar. The drive will now be extended to other parts of the city where such vehicles continue to obstruct traffic and pedestrian movement.“We will increase the intensity of the drive in the coming days. These vehicles pose accident risks and also lead to congestion, which prompted us to launch the drive,” Mirkhelkar said.Explaining the procedure, he said traffic police were first trying to contact vehicle owners and asking them to remove their vehicles voluntarily. Those whose owners could not be traced were being towed away.To encourage public participation, traffic police have also decided to felicitate citizens who report the highest number of abandoned vehicles during the drive with a ‘Nagpur Ka Traffic Hero’ certificate.HOW TO REPORT ABANDONED VEHICLESWhatsApp: Send photographs and the exact location of abandoned vehicles to 9356847314Nagpur Police Chatbot: Access the chatbot on WhatsApp, select the ‘Abandoned Vehicle’ option and upload photographs along with the locationPolice action: Traffic police will visit the reported location and initiate steps to get the vehicle removedCitizen recognition: Those reporting the highest number of abandoned vehicles during the drive will receive the ‘Nagpur Ka Traffic Hero’ certificate
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