The recently passed new Motors Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 that came into effect on 1st September saw traffic violators facing steeper challans than ever before.
With as many as 3,900 challans issued by the Delhi Police on the first day, it was one particular reported incident of a man from Gurugram, Dinesh Madan that broke the internet. Riding a scooter Madan was found in violation of several traffic rules and was fined a whopping Rs.23,000 for it.
He was fined Rs 5,000 for driving without licence, Rs. 5,000 for not carrying the registration certificate, Rs.2,000 for driving without insurance, Rs.10,000 for violating pollution laws and Rs.1,000 for driving without helmet making it a cumulative fine of Rs. 23,000.
“I wasn’t wearing a helmet and didn’t have the registration certificate (RC). The traffic police asked me to give him my scooter’s key but I refused. He immediately printed a challan of Rs. 23,000 and seized my vehicle,” Madan was quoted saying.
“The value of my scooter is around 15,000. I even got a copy of the registration on WhatsApp from my home but by then the police officer had printed the fine.The amount could have been less if he had waited for a while. I want that the fine should be relaxed. From now, on I will always carry my documents,” he added.
Following the incident Madan has reportedly left his scooter with the cops and has refused to pay the fine as yet, as according to him, the price of his second-hand scooter is hardly Rs 15,000, lesser than the fine charged on it.
Under the new rules, penal provisions have been made more stringent for common traffic violations.
Speeding can now invite a penalty of Rs. 1,000- Rs.2,000. For driving without insurance, there will be a fine of Rs.2,000; those driving without helmets will have to shell out Rs.1,000 and can face three-month suspension of their licence.
Under the new law, the fine for driving without licence has been hiked from Rs.500 to Rs.5,000. For driving despite disqualification, the fine has been raised from Rs.500 to Rs.10,000.
Driving without a seat-belt can now invite a fine of Rs.1,000, which was earlier Rs.100. Use of mobile phone while driving can invite a fine between Rs.1,000-5,000. Earlier it was Rs.1,000.
For drunk driving, the fine has been hiked from Rs.2,000 to Rs.10,000. Drivers will be fined Rs.10,000 for not giving way to emergency vehicles like ambulance and fire brigade.
