<p>The decision to reintroduce vehicle towing in Bengaluru marks a cautious return to an enforcement tool that had once become synonymous with public anger. Under the new framework, towing charges have been fixed at Rs 650 for two-wheelers and Rs 1,000 for cars, over and above existing penalties. While the vehicles will be provided by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the traffic police will enforce violations. </p><p>At first glance, this appears to be a more structured, accountable system, but it must be recognised that towing alone cannot resolve a deeper, systemic problem. Towing was suspended in 2022 following widespread allegations of harassment, corruption, and procedural violations. Private contractors, driven by revenue targets, often operated with impunity – ignoring due process and behaving rudely with the public. The absence of adequate parking infrastructure compounded the problem. Motorists were penalised not merely for indiscipline, but often for the city’s own planning failures.</p>.<p>If the relaunch is to succeed, it must begin with a fundamental correction: clearly demarcated and universally understood parking zones. Much of Bengaluru’s parking chaos stems from ambiguity. Streets lack consistent signage, markings are faded or contradictory, and enforcement varies wildly across neighbourhoods. Without clarity, towing may once again risk becoming arbitrary, eroding public trust. </p><p>Equally troubling is the breakdown of the ‘pay and park’ ecosystem. Parking meters along key thoroughfares have fallen into disuse, victims of administrative transition and contracts that have ended but not been renewed. This has led to haphazard parking. The move towards app-based ‘virtual slots’ remains a work in progress. In the interim, motorists are left navigating a system that neither functions physically nor fully exists digitally. Enforcement in such a vacuum may seem inherently unjust.</p>.<p>What, then, should be done? First, the GBA and traffic police must establish a transparent and standardised parking policy – clearly marked zones and the long-overdue digital intervention. Second, enforcement must strictly adhere to standard operating procedures, with prior warnings, police supervision, and accountability through body cameras, to avoid the arbitrariness of the past. </p><p>Third, towing should not be seen by the police as a tool for revenue generation. Most importantly, Bengaluru must resist the temptation of piecemeal fixes. Towing vehicles address only symptoms, not causes. The city urgently requires an updated comprehensive mobility plan – integrating public transport, last-mile connectivity, parking management, and road design into a coherent whole. Without such a holistic approach, the return of towing may become a replay of the past: a visible assertion of authority, but a failure of governance.</p>
<p>The decision to reintroduce vehicle towing in Bengaluru marks a cautious return to an enforcement tool that had once become synonymous with public anger. Under the new framework, towing charges have been fixed at Rs 650 for two-wheelers and Rs 1,000 for cars, over and above existing penalties. While the vehicles will be provided by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the traffic police will enforce violations. </p><p>At first glance, this appears to be a more structured, accountable system, but it must be recognised that towing alone cannot resolve a deeper, systemic problem. Towing was suspended in 2022 following widespread allegations of harassment, corruption, and procedural violations. Private contractors, driven by revenue targets, often operated with impunity – ignoring due process and behaving rudely with the public. The absence of adequate parking infrastructure compounded the problem. Motorists were penalised not merely for indiscipline, but often for the city’s own planning failures.</p>.<p>If the relaunch is to succeed, it must begin with a fundamental correction: clearly demarcated and universally understood parking zones. Much of Bengaluru’s parking chaos stems from ambiguity. Streets lack consistent signage, markings are faded or contradictory, and enforcement varies wildly across neighbourhoods. Without clarity, towing may once again risk becoming arbitrary, eroding public trust. </p><p>Equally troubling is the breakdown of the ‘pay and park’ ecosystem. Parking meters along key thoroughfares have fallen into disuse, victims of administrative transition and contracts that have ended but not been renewed. This has led to haphazard parking. The move towards app-based ‘virtual slots’ remains a work in progress. In the interim, motorists are left navigating a system that neither functions physically nor fully exists digitally. Enforcement in such a vacuum may seem inherently unjust.</p>.<p>What, then, should be done? First, the GBA and traffic police must establish a transparent and standardised parking policy – clearly marked zones and the long-overdue digital intervention. Second, enforcement must strictly adhere to standard operating procedures, with prior warnings, police supervision, and accountability through body cameras, to avoid the arbitrariness of the past. </p><p>Third, towing should not be seen by the police as a tool for revenue generation. Most importantly, Bengaluru must resist the temptation of piecemeal fixes. Towing vehicles address only symptoms, not causes. The city urgently requires an updated comprehensive mobility plan – integrating public transport, last-mile connectivity, parking management, and road design into a coherent whole. Without such a holistic approach, the return of towing may become a replay of the past: a visible assertion of authority, but a failure of governance.</p>
