Hefty Traffic Fines: Several States Relax Strict Penalties, Centre Raises No Objection

Uttarakhand is the third BJP-ruled state after Karnataka and Gujarat to reduce strict penalties under the amended Motot Vehicles Act.

In the response to public demands, several state governments after Gujarat and Uttarakhand, are planning to reduce the heavy fines being imposed since September 1 on offenders of traffic rules. (Getty images)

New Delhi: In the wake of the "hefty" traffic fines imposed on the people and the cries getting stronger after the new Motor Vehicles Act came into force, the government of various states have come to the rescue of the general public. In the response to public demands, several state governments after Gujarat and Uttarakhand, are planning to reduce the heavy fines being imposed since September 1 on offenders of traffic rules. Gujarat slashed the penalty to about 50 per cent for specific offences for giving relief to the offenders. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday announced the revised fines for traffic violations. The state has reduced the fines for not wearing a helmet, and seat belt to Rs 500 as against the prescribed amount of Rs 1000 in the new Motor Vehicle Act. Driving without a valid license will cost Rs 2,000 to bikers and Rs 3,000 to four-wheeler drivers as against Rs 5000 mentioned in the Act, in Gujarat. Karnataka is set to do the same. As per the reports, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has directed the Transport Department to reduce the fines on the lines of the Gujarat government, as the penalty is 10 times more than it has been over the years. Besides, the BJP-led government in the Uttarakhand has also decided to reduce the penalties for traffic violations. The decision was made public by Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat on Wednesday. He convened a meeting of his cabinet to discuss various issues concerning the state including the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act. Modification to the vehicle and wrong number plate would be fined with Rs 5,000 in Uttarakhand; while speeding and dangerous driving would cost the driver Rs 2,000. Uttarakhand is the third BJP-ruled state after Karnataka and Gujarat to reduce strict penalties under the amended Motot Vehicles Act. Watch | After Gujarat, Uttarakhand govt reduces traffic fines to half Meanwhile, the Kerala government has started to examine how the recently increased traffic fines can be brought down, state Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran said on Wednesday. Directives have been issued to the officials in this regard, he told the media in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday. On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she will not implement the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act in the state citing a steep increase in traffic violation penalties. Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying, "I cannot implement this Motor Vehicle Act right now because our govt officials are of the opinion that if we implement it, it will overburden people." Besides, the state government of Goa, Rajasthan, Odisha and Maharashtra have also raised concerns about the exorbitant penalties.  Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote on Thursday said the state government was not in favour of penalising traffic rule violators with hefty fines. Raote said, "We have taken our decision that we are not of the opinion to penalise traffic rule violators with hefty challans (penalty receipts). I am personally too against the move." Effectively, the people of Maharashtra have been spared of the new MVA and resultant stiff penalties till at least after the assembly elections, said an official of the state RTO. Watch | Maharashtra govt puts stay on new Motor Vehicles Act

High traffic fines to avert road accidents: Gadkari

Interestingly, the Centre has also shown no objection on states bringing down penalties for traffic violation. Virtually dismissing the contentions, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stuck to his stand, and reiterated that the fines are intended to "save lives" and were being revised after 30 years. Gadkari on Wednesday said that states are free to make changes in penalties given the subject is the concurrent list. He said that the idea to levy hefty fines was not to earn revenue but to discipline road users. "You have to understand, we have the highest rate of deaths due to traffic accidents in the world," Gadkari told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference on Wednesday.

About Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed by Parliament in July. Under the amended Act, the penalty for driving without insurance has been doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 for the first-time offenders and has gone up by 4 times for second-time offenders to Rs 4,000. The new motor vehicles law also includes several other stringent measures to increase awareness on safety and road behaviour. Not wearing seat belt, drunk and dangerous driving, over-speeding, jumping red lights, driving without insurance and overloading vehicles will also attract higher penalties. Now, if two-wheeler owners are caught riding without helmets, they will not only have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 but would also have their licences suspended for three months. (With inputs from agencies)