Chennai
With the city police sending at least three communiques warning public of the revised exorbitant fines so far, the public remains clueless about the fines levied by the traffic police.
Now, with rumour mills working overtime on social media by spreading messages that city police have started collecting the new fines already, officials here have been forced to clarify that the revised fines are yet to be implemented. Recently, a magistrate slapping fines of Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 on two men for driving a car under the influence of alcohol led to more confusion among motorists, but city traffic police clarified that they have not been instructed to book cases according to new Motor Vehicle Act yet.
However, transport department officials clarified that the revised penalties for traffic violations under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, which came into force from September 1 across the country, would be implemented in the State in a week or two.
According to sources in the Transport Department, the revised penalties will come into force here after the State government notifies new fines in the gazette in a week or two.
“The process for notifying the newly revised penalties under the MV amendment Act 2019 has already commenced. Once
it is published in the Gazette it will be enforced in the State,” a source said.
Moreover, official sources said that the software of the e-challan devices has to be updated before the enforcement of the new fines. The Act provides for stricter punishment for various traffic-related offences and higher penalties with a hope that it will act as a deterrent against traffic violations in the country. The amendment to the MV Act has increased penalties on certain traffic violations by 20 times. For instance, the driver caught under the influence of alcohol or drugs would have to pay up a five-fold penalty under the new bill with the fine going up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000. The maximum prison term would still be three months for the offence.
Under Section 194C, overloading of two-wheelers would attract a penalty of Rs 2,000 which has gone up by 20 times from Rs 100. For offences like driving without licence and speeding/racing, one has to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 which was previously Rs 500.
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