A division bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj has held that it is the duty of the authorities to ensure that the footways and public streets are kept free of obstructions including illegal parking thereon. It is also their responsibility to ensure that violations of the aforesaid provisions of law are not taken casually and criminal law is promptly set in motion.
The court has also directed the state government and the traffic Police Department to make effective implementation of the provisions contained in Sections 117, 122, 127, 177A and 201 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, on a complaint made by a citizen or otherwise. If any violation of the said provisions is made, apart from taking action of removal of illegally stopped, parked or abandoned vehicles on footways, criminal law must be set in motion immediately.
"The respondents shall ensure strict implementation of the provisions of the Karnataka Traffic Control Act, of 1960 and the Karnataka Traffic Control Rules of 1979", the Court added.