Mira-Bhayandar: As many as 194 vehicles which were either impounded under the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) or found abandoned by the traffic department (Kashimira unit) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police were auctioned for more than ₹17.49 lakh under the Operation Khatara initiative.
The process was conducted under the aegis of the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC) – a public sector unit which specialises in e-auctions. The 194 vehicles including, 94 two-wheelers, 11 four-wheelers and 89 auto-rickshaws were lying at the traffic department’s yard located in the Beverly Park area of Mira Road for the past several years.
“After our towing wing completed the due process of law, a proposal with specific details was tabled before the Regional Transport Office, Thane, following which the inspection-cum-valuation was done by officials,” said senior police inspector (traffic) Devidas Handore.
The collective valuation of the vehicles was pegged at ₹6.61 lakh. The e-auction catalogue of the vehicles was uploaded by the MSTC on its website and shortlisted Indian Motors Limited- a Haryana-based company which offered the highest bid amounting to ₹17,49,999 during the scheduled slot for the online auctioning process on Wednesday.
Notably, the bids received on the online platform were around three times the valued price fixed by the RTO. The vehicles will be handed over to the successful bidder once the payment process is completed.
Last year the traffic department had raked in ₹17.06 lakh by auctioning 218 seized or abandoned vehicles by following a similar process under the aegis of the MSTC.
