Truck driver fined Rs 59,000 in Gurugram

A truck driver was fined Rs 59,000, the highest in the last three days, for violating several traffic rules under the amended Motor Vehicles Act.

GURUGRAM: A truck driver was on Wednesday fined Rs 59,000, the highest in the last three days, for violating several traffic rules under the amended Motor Vehicles Act that came into effect on Sunday.

New Motor Vehicles Act: Truck driver fined Rs 59,000 in Gurugram

Ram Gopal, who is in his 40s, was stopped near Rajiv Chowk for jumping a traffic signal but tried to escape. He was chased by cops and failed to produce any vehicle documents or a driver’s licence.

He was fined for 10 violations — driving without licence, registration certificate, plying vehicle without fitness, insurance, pollution certificate, carrying dangerous goods, dangerous goods, dangerous driving, disobeying police orders, disobeying traffic signal and jumping signal. His vehicle has been impounded.

In the last three days, the fines have become heftier but the number of challans has remained more or less the same — an average of 700-800 a day, according to ACP (traffic) Ashok Kumar. Around 2,512 motorists have been penalised, most of them over Rs 20,000. In nearly all the cases, people are yet to pay up.

A tractor driver was challaned Rs 38,000 on Tuesday and three autos were fined Rs 42,500, Rs 40,600 and Rs 37,000. “There are many who were issued challans between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000,” said a traffic cop.

Kumar urged people to carry all mandatory papers. “The amount will not be this much if they produce valid documents. Only offences like jumping signal etc will not be waived,” he said. He said vehicles are being impounded only where commuters were found driving without registration papers and other basic documents. In other cases, cops have kept DLs and registration papers if someone does not pay the fine on the spot.

Some motorists said they were confused about whether the new law was applicable to Haryana. Sanjay, a resident of Sohna who was fined Rs 23,000, said he wasn’t aware if the new rule had implemented. “On Sunday evening, I asked a local traffic constable if the new rules will be applicable in Haryana. He said they haven’t received any notification. Had I known, I would have been more careful,” he said.

Kumar said traffic police will start an awareness campaign to educate people about the new penalties and banners and hoardings with pictorial representation will be put up. The department will also rope in legal experts to conduct workshops for traffic cops. “There are many finer points. The rules have defined dangerous driving and talking on phone while driving. Traffic cops need to know what can be considered as dangerous driving,” Kumar said.
The MV Act has a provision where in the state governments can increase or decrease penalties for some violations. DCP (traffic) Himanshu Garg said, “Till now, the Haryana government has not issued any notification for making any change in the penalty amount, so challans are being issued as per the amended MV Act.”