On Thursday, the Maharashtra Rajya Pravasi Va Mal Vahatuk Mahasangh, a state-wide transporters' organisation, had threatened a morcha if the ter minus was not handed over to it in a week.

Pune Newsline had reported the gross misuse of this public property by a private showroom for cars that had taken over part of the 21,000 sq mt land belonging to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Satara Road for parking its own vehicles. The land has been reserved for PMC's truck terminus.

The civic body had lodged a police complaint for trespass against the owner and asked the anti-encroachment department to fine him. The cars were removed on Tuesday night from the terminus by the owner.

Deputy municipal commissioner (land acquisition) Suraj Mandhare said there were around 100 to 150 trucks at the terminus on any given day. ``If they are not allowed to use the terminus, it would create a traffic problem on Satara Road as they would park on the road. The space is vacant and they can use it,'' he added.

Municipal commissioner Nitin Kareer had said on Tuesday that parking lots are given to private parties to operate on a pay-and-park basis after inviting tenders. ``In case of the truck terminus, tenders were called twice but the standing committee did not accept any of the tenders as the bids were not as high as expected,'' he had said. The civic administration has already begun the re-tendering process.

Mandhare said, ``Calling of tenders before handing over a civic property has been made mandatory by a High Court directive.'' He added the transporters could also bid.