Uttarakhand plans to create dedicated vehicle impounding grounds in Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh as police station premises increasingly struggle to accommodate seized vehicles. The Transport Department has prepared and submitted a detailed project report worth about 14 crore rupees for the 3 facilities.
Vehicles seized for traffic rule violations, incomplete documents and other transport-related offences are currently kept at police stations. As the number of impounded vehicles rises, available space is shrinking and new seizures are becoming harder to accommodate.
The shortage also creates difficulties for enforcement teams. In places where police stations cannot provide sufficient parking space, officials face an additional operational challenge while taking action against vehicles that violate transport rules.
3 proposed locations face different hurdles
In Dehradun, the Asharodi area has been identified for the proposed facility. The land is recorded in the name of the Revenue Department, while the Transport, Police and Forest departments have also raised claims over it. The transfer process has therefore not moved forward. Further action at the district magistrate level is required.
The proposed Rishikesh site is near the Transport Department office. The land belongs to the Forest Department, so the approvals required for its transfer to the Transport Department are still pending. Officials have indicated that construction can begin only after the transfer process is completed.
Haridwar has adequate land with the Transport Department for an impounding ground. However, construction has not yet started because the necessary departmental process remains incomplete.
The facilities are intended to provide designated locations for vehicles seized during enforcement operations. They would also reduce the pressure on police station premises by moving impounded vehicles to separate sites.
Expected impact on enforcement
Once the grounds are developed, seized vehicles could be parked at fixed locations rather than being distributed among police stations. This would free space at the stations and allow impounded vehicles to be managed in a more organised manner.
The plan could also make it easier for Transport Department enforcement teams to continue action against rule-breaking vehicles without having to resolve parking constraints after every seizure. The proposal does not yet have a confirmed construction start date.
Transport Department Additional Commissioner S.K. Singh said work was under way to develop the grounds at all 3 locations. He said the DPR had been sent to the government and that construction would be pursued after the required approvals and other formalities were completed.
Conclusion
Uttarakhand has proposed 3 dedicated impounding grounds and submitted a DPR worth about 14 crore rupees, but construction remains dependent on land-transfer decisions, departmental approvals and completion of formalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where are the proposed vehicle impounding grounds planned?
They are planned in Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Q. Why are the grounds being proposed?
They are intended to provide separate locations for vehicles seized over traffic, document and other transport-related violations.
Q. How much is the estimated project cost?
The DPR for the 3 projects is worth about 14 crore rupees.
Q. What is delaying the Dehradun project?
The Asharodi land has competing departmental claims, and its transfer process has not been completed.
Q. What approval is pending in Rishikesh?
The proposed land belongs to the Forest Department, and approval is required to transfer it to the Transport Department.
Q. Is land available in Haridwar?
The Transport Department has adequate land in Haridwar, but the required departmental process is incomplete.
Q. Who provided an update on the plan?
Transport Department Additional Commissioner S.K. Singh provided the update.
