Abu Dhabi: Around 4,311 abandoned vehicles have been found and 3,282 impounded since the beginning of this year in the capital, Abu Dhabi City Municipality announced on Tuesday.
The municipality has recently launched a campaign targeting such vehicles parked in public places, including car parks and residential areas.
This initiative is part of the municipality’s ongoing efforts to educate the public about the importance of avoiding the practice of leaving vehicles for extended periods in a shabby condition as this has a poor impact on the “civilised appearance of the city”, the municipality said in a statement. “This drive replicates the policy of the municipality towards maintaining the cleanliness of the city, improving the public appearance, enhancing the public safety and security, minimising environmental pollution and diffusing environmental awareness among community members as well as revitalising their role in protecting and conserving the environment,” the municipality added.
The municipality has made it clear that it would follow up notices served and affixed on abandoned vehicles to give owners a grace period to remove them from these places or at least keep them free of accumulated dust. If no action is taken, however, the municipality will have no other option but to remove them to the impounded vehicles yard where the applicable legal actions will take place.
The municipality is coping with this phenomenon in accordance with legal procedures based on Law No two for 2012 for maintaining the public appearance, health and tranquillity in Abu Dhabi emirate along with its executive regulations. Subsequent amendments revised the notice period to three days instead of 14 days following which the inspector will notify the vehicle-towing company to remove the vehicle. The law is applicable to all vehicles, including trailers, boats and others, which are all subject to removal to the vehicle impounding area at Al Wathba.
In implementation of the provisions of the law, a fine of Dh3,000 is imposed, and once the offender reports to the municipality, a settlement is offered, including the payment of 50 per cent of the fine. Should the offence recur, the fine will be doubled and daily impoundment fees will be applied, depending on the type of vehicle and the area from which the vehicle has been removed.
According to statistics, the practice of abandoned vehicles was quite rampant in the past but, following the implementation of the new law, the phenomenon has decreased, particularly with the hike in the fee amount and the slashed notice period of three days only.
