Guwahati’s police stations, particularly around Dispur Police Station, have found themselves in a tricky situation with seized vehicles cluttering the area. As the number of seized vehicles continues to pile up, officials are finding it increasingly difficult to manage the situation, causing both logistical challenges and legal dilemmas. The accumulation of these vehicles has not only led to confusion, but has also occupied a major portion of the limited space within police station premises.
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Talking to GPlus, a senior police official in Guwahati explained the categorisation of the seized vehicles, which has become essential in understanding the depth of the issue. The vehicles are classified into three distinct categories, each presenting unique challenges.
"The first category," the official explained, "includes vehicles that are directly involved in cases being heard in court. These vehicles cannot be disposed of without proper legal proceedings, making them the most complicated to manage."
The second category involves vehicles seized following accidents. These vehicles are recovered by the police and are often under a General Diary Entry (GDE), meaning they are logged in the police records but not necessarily tied to an active court case. In such cases, the police hold the vehicles until the court or the concerned authorities clear them.
"The third category consists of stolen vehicles," the officer continued. "These are recovered by the police, but in many instances, the owners are not immediately identified. Despite efforts to locate the rightful owners, including the issuance of public notices in newspapers, many vehicles remain unclaimed."
In addition to these, the traffic police also contribute to the increasing stockpile of seized vehicles by impounding cars and bikes parked in no-parking zones or violating other traffic rules. These vehicles are kept in custody until their owners come forward to pay fines or penalties.
One of the major issues highlighted by police officials is the lack of space within police station compounds to store these vehicles. "Many police stations in Guwahati, including Dispur Police Station, have extremely limited space. As the number of seized vehicles continues to grow, they end up taking over entire areas of the police station premises," the official noted.
He added that while the Assam government has introduced a vehicle disposal policy, many vehicle owners still do not come forward to claim their vehicles, leading to an overcrowding situation. "Even though we have a policy in place to dispose of these vehicles, the process is slow, and we can’t move forward without clearance from the courts or the owners."
When it comes to vehicles tied to ongoing court cases, the police are particularly constrained. "We divide the seized vehicles into three categories, including those tied to ongoing cases," the officer stated. "However, we are not authorised to dispose of vehicles related to active court cases. For these, we have to seek directions from the court."
Police stations often face additional challenges when owners do not come forward to claim their vehicles, even after notices are sent out. "We issue notices to vehicle owners at the time of seizure, along with the charge sheets, but many still fail to respond. To deal with this, we publish advertisements in newspapers, urging them to come and claim their vehicles. But it doesn’t always work," the official said.
The official further explained that while some owners simply neglect the notices, others may have scrapped the vehicles themselves without informing the police, making the recovery process even more complex.
A complex factor in managing seized vehicles is the court’s directive that the responsibility for the safekeeping of these vehicles lies with the Investigating Officers (IOs) handling the cases. "According to court orders, the IOs are tasked with monitoring the seized vehicles daily. If a vehicle were to be stolen or damaged while in police custody, the IO would be held responsible. This adds another layer of pressure on the officers involved," the official added.
He also added, "There is only one scrap yard in Changsari."
With many police officers already juggling multiple cases and duties, this additional responsibility of vehicle monitoring has stretched the department’s resources thin. The situation becomes more concerning when officers realise that despite their efforts, the problem of space and legal entanglements keeps increasing.
In 2023, the Assam Transport Department took a step forward by issuing a notice aimed at addressing the problem of vehicle disposal. The notice tackled the issue of vehicles scrapped by their owners without proper intimation to the Registering Authority, resulting in uncollected registration cancellations (RCs) and piling arrear dues.
The transport department pointed out that many vehicle owners had already scrapped their vehicles before the Vehicle Scrappage Policy of Assam came into effect on 18th July 2022. However, due to ignorance or lack of proper procedure, they failed to inform the authorities, leaving their RCs active in the Vahan software system. As a result, arrears and fines continued to accumulate, creating a backlog that affected both the vehicle owners and the administration.
To resolve this, the government introduced a One-Time Settlement Scheme. This scheme allows vehicle owners who had scrapped their vehicles before the cut-off date to apply for RC cancellation within three months of the scheme’s effective date, which began on 1st August 2023.
The scheme offers a 75% waiver on outstanding dues, allowing owners to pay only 25% of their arrears to settle the matter. This is applicable to both transport and non-transport vehicles, with different categories of dues, including MV tax arrears, fines, and green tax.
Owners wishing to avail themselves of this opportunity must submit an application to the concerned registering authority, along with a notarised affidavit declaring that their vehicle had already been scrapped before the cut-off date. The affidavit must also state that the vehicle was neither stolen nor involved in any criminal activity and that there are no hypothecation agreements with any financiers.
While the One-Time Settlement Scheme seems promising, the ground reality remains complex. According to police officials, many vehicle owners are either unaware of the scheme or unwilling to come forward due to fear of penalties. This is particularly true for vehicles that have been scrapped without proper documentation or those that were involved in minor traffic violations.
Police stations in Guwahati continue to struggle with a lack of space, and while the transport department’s policy offers some relief, it may not be enough to solve the problem entirely. The slow pace of legal proceedings, combined with the cumbersome process of getting approvals from the courts, means that many of these vehicles will likely remain in police custody for the foreseeable future.
However, the problem of uncleaned, seized vehicles will likely continue to be a source of confusion and frustration for both the police and the public in Guwahati. The combination of legal, logistical, and administrative challenges makes it a difficult issue to resolve, but with coordinated efforts, there is hope that a more efficient system can be put in place.