Muscat: The Muscat Municipality has launched a drive to move abandoned vehicles in Bausher and adjoining areas.
Besides being a risk to general health and the environment, abandoned vehicles consume lots of parking space for genuine vehicle owners.
Muscat Municipality exhorted such vehicle owners to cooperate in ensuring cleanliness and civic order in the municipal area.
The issue of abandoned vehicles came after many citizens complained about them and brought to the notice of the Muscat Municipality.
There is a legal provision to deal with such irresponsible civic behaviour that affects aesthetics, people's health and the environment.
The urban inspection department of the Muscat Municipality is making an all-out effort to preserve the environment. They are doing field visits to monitor abandoned vehicles. There are vehicles which are parked in certain locations for a long time with the purpose of sale without referring to the competent authorities or obtaining necessary permits for the same.
The municipality decreed the regulations to deal with such situations. Article (2) of the provision of Administrative Decision No (171/2018) issued in the matter of regulating abandoned vehicles in public places in the Governorate of Muscat, which does not allow leaving vehicles in a public place, which leads to distortion of the public view.
Article (3) clarifies the municipal procedures. After observing abandoned vehicles, the urban inspection teams place alert stickers on vehicles left in public places. It then coordinates with the Royal Oman Police within seven days from the warning sticker's date.
Article (4) also indicates that the municipality may withdraw and impound abandoned vehicles in public places at the expense of the vehicle owner after the lapse of fourteen days from the date of placing the warning label, without the municipality bearing any responsibility for damages to the abandoned vehicle during its transportation.
Article (5) imposes an administrative fine after seizing the abandoned vehicle on its owners when they visit the municipality to receive it. The fine amounts to RO 200 for cars and buses designed to transport 15 passengers or less and bicycles. RO 400 for trucks and buses designed to transport more than 15 passengers, locomotives, trailers, tractors, and equipment, and RO 1,000 for a vehicle meant for transporting hazardous materials.
A fine of RO 5 shall be imposed on the owner of the abandoned vehicle for each day as a late fine if he does not turn up to claim the vehicle. Article (6) stipulates that the municipality will coordinate with the Royal Oman Police to take the procedures for selling the abandoned vehicle through a public auction, in the event that the owner of the abandoned vehicle does not review the municipality to receive it, and pay the dues within 90 days from the date of its withdrawal and seizure without an acceptable excuse.
The municipality is also making continuous efforts to raise awareness of this phenomenon's harmful effects and show its social, health and environmental impact.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
