Cars left in public places for more than 48 hours to be seized

Sharjah motorists are warned against leaving their vehicles in public spaces for too long or they will be impounded.

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SHARJAH // The municipality has warned residents going on holiday not to leave their vehicles in public spaces for more than 48 hours, or they will be seized.

About 1,450 cars have been impounded and 3,000 warnings have been issued so far this year, said Ibrahim Al Hosni, the head of security department at the municipality.

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"Most vehicles parked in public for long hours without being cleaned were distorting the image of our emirate," he said. "They would also be an obstruction to rescue work in case of an emergency, or if some work like construction or demolition is to take place in the area."

He said that after noting a car's location, inspectors were giving two days for a vehicle in a public area to be removed. After that, the vehicle will be impounded.

Holidaymakers cluttering the roads with their vehicles annoyed some residents, like Yassir Mohammed, 30, a Palestinian, who has said some cars have been left so long they become rodent nests.

But the impounding programme worried Zaid Taqqiullah, 40, from Pakistan, as he was taking his 30-day annual holiday next month.

"Can the authorities tell us where it's safe to leave our cars or how we can wash them while we are away?" he asked.

Mr Al Hosni said the municipality had finalised an auction of 1,069 seized cars.