Muscat: As many as 3,154 abandoned vehicles have been towed away from different wilayats by the Muscat Municipality so far in 2019.
According to the municipality, the wilayat of Al Seeb topped the list with 2,572 vehicles towed, followed by Bousher with 425, Mutrah and Amerat with 90 and 67 respectively.
The civic law states that the municipality can remove vehicles abandoned in public places at the expense of their owners 14 days after the pasting of stickers of notice on them.
If the owner still fails to take the vehicle from where it is abandoned, a fine of RO5 will be imposed for each day.
In a gazette notification in November last, the municipality said it reserves the right to tow the vehicle from the location at the owner’s expense after 14 days of issuing the notice.
It added that the municipality will not bear any responsibility for the cost of transportation or damage caused while towing.
The municipality said that an administrative fine RO200 will be imposed on owners of cars or buses that carry less than 15 passengers and bicycles.
While the fine will be RO400 for trucks, vehicles used for transporting hazardous materials will slapped with RO1,000.
Vehicle owners will be fined RO5 a day in case of delay.
According to the gazette notification, the civic body in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police sell the abandoned vehicles through public auction “if the owner does not report to the municipality or pay dues within 90 days”.
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