In a bid to address the long-standing problem of vehicles seized in criminal and traffic cases occupying police station premises, the Bengaluru police on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) launched a drive to shift the vehicles to Revenue Department land on the city outskirts.

Launching the drive at the Jayanagar police station, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said a whopping 11,346 such vehicles lying on the premises of police stations across the city had been identified and were scheduled to be shifted over the next one month.

“We have begun addressing long-standing perennial issues in the city, starting with debris and abandoned vehicle clearance. While footpath clearance is ongoing, many citizens complained that police stations in the city are inundated with seized vehicles and demanded action,” Mr. Gowda said, adding that even State legislators and MPs had demanded a solution to the problem.

Dearth of space

The Hindu had earlier reported on such seized vehicles posing a fire threat, but a dearth of space within the city to shift the vehicles had led to an impasse.

The problem was briefly addressed between 2023 and 2025, when the city police shifted all seized vehicles to Jakkarayanakere in the central part of the city, besides a small facility in Madanayakanahalli on the outskirts. But frequent fires, snake-related issues, and improper management of space at Jakkarayanakere drew backlash from neighbourhood residents. Even the Madanayakanahalli facility was full.

In 2025, the city police again shifted the seized vehicles from Jakkarayanakere and dumped them at police stations. A senior police officer explained to The Hindu that they had to keep the vehicles on the premises, as cases linked to them were ongoing, and hence they could neither be returned nor disposed of.

During footpath clearance

While the issue remained unaddressed, it came under fire when the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) launched its footpath clearance drive. The accumulation of vehicles has not only created a shortage of space at police stations but has also resulted in vehicles spilling onto roads and footpaths, obstructing pedestrian movement and causing inconvenience to the public.

Mr. Gowda said the authorities had urged the police to formally seek permission from courts to fast-track such cases so that the vehicles could be cleared. “We have been holding preparatory meetings for the past two months. As these vehicles are involved in court cases, we made a special request to get them cleared. However, the courts have said that the cases cannot be fast-tracked,” he said.

Following this, Mr. Gowda said they sought the help of the Revenue Department and secured land parcels at seven locations spanning 26 acres for the purpose. “Now, the police have fenced those lands and are shifting the seized vehicles,” Mr. Gowda said.

An old issue

Mr. Gowda said the accumulation of seized vehicles was not a recent problem and had been affecting police stations for 15 to 20 years. The coordinated effort by the GBA and Bengaluru Police is expected to free up space around police stations and reduce obstructions on roads and pedestrian pathways across the city.

The Minister said the State government was also taking measures to address other long-standing civic problems. He reiterated that notices had been affixed to 2,024 vehicles, but their owners had not come forward to take them back. Such vehicles were being towed away, he said.

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda took charge of the Bengaluru Development portfolio on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after being sworn in, stating that his decision followed directions from the Congress high command and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Mr. Gowda, who was sworn in on June 3, had delayed taking charge, unhappy with the Chief Minister retaining the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), two key planning bodies for the city.

“I have told the Chief Minister and the leadership my opinion that the lack of clarity in who is in charge will come in the way of accountability and result-oriented administration,” he said. He added, however, that it was finally the discretion of the Chief Minister.

“I have appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider his decision. I was of the opinion that it was better to take charge after I got this clarity, but the high command and the Chief Minister told me to take charge and begin work, and that the issue would be resolved eventually. So, I have begun my work,” he told mediapersons.

Mr. Gowda said that improving the quality of everyday life of Bengalureans was his top priority. He held his first meeting with top officials under the GBA limits. He reportedly questioned officials over Bengaluru’s road quality and asked if road construction was “rocket science” and why we cannot build pothole-free roads.