Motor Vehicles Act Section 127 — Removal of motor vehicles abandoned or left unattended on a public place
CHAPTER VIII CONTROL OF TRAFFIC
Civil
Summary
Sub-section (1) covers two situations. First, if a motor vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a public place for ten hours or more, a police officer in uniform with jurisdiction may authorise its removal by a towing service or its immobilisation by any means, including wheel clamping. Second, the same authorisation applies if the vehicle is parked in a place where parking is legally prohibited.
Sub-section (2) deals with a vehicle that is abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burnt, or partially dismantled, and that is creating a traffic hazard because of its position in relation to the public place, or whose physical appearance is causing an impediment to traffic. In such a case, a police officer having jurisdiction may authorise its immediate removal from the public place by a towing service.
Sub-section (3) states that when a vehicle is authorised to be removed under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) by a police officer, the owner of the vehicle is responsible for all towing costs, in addition to any other penalty that may apply.
Official Text
1[
(1) Where any motor vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a public place for ten hours or more or is parked in a place where parking is legally prohibited, its removal by a towing service or its immobilisations by any means including wheel clamping may be authorised by a police officer in uniform having jurisdiction.]
(2) Where an abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burnt or partially dismantled vehicle is creating a traffic hazard, because of its position in relation to the 2[public place], or its physical appearance is causing the impediment to the traffic, its immediate removal from the 2[public place] by a towing service may be authorised by a police officer having jurisdiction.
(3) Where a vehicle is authorised to be removed under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) by a police officer, the owner of the vehicle shall be responsible for all towing costs, besides any other penalty.