Hailakandi Police To Enforce New Motor Vehicle Act Strictly

A Correspondent

Hailakandi: The District Transport Office is on a spree on imposition of fines to motorists for road safety violations. From September 26, the DTO along with Hailakandi Police has been launching a district wide awareness drive about the amended Motor Vehicle Act 2019 that came into force on September 23.

District Transport Officer, Syed Rafiqul Mannan said the new motor vehicle act has stricter penalties and punishment for traffic violations. Fines will be imposed for those not carrying documents and the pollution certificate and not using the helmet, said Mannan, adding that the transport department would be very strict in enforcing the new motor vehicle act.

Mannan pointed out that even the Supreme Court has ruled that road traffic offences can be prosecuted under the motor vehicle act as well as the Indian Penal Code emphasising on the gravity of rash and negligent driving causing fatalities on roads.

“Stricter penalty laws are applicable in case of dangerous driving. First time offenders will face imprisonment of six months to one year and/or fine of between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000. For the second offence, the offender will be imprisoned for up to 2 years and/or will have to pay a fine of up to Rs 10,000,” he said. In case of drunken driving, imprisonment up to 6 months and/or a fine of up to Rs 10,000 in case of first time offense. For the second offense, there will be a prison term of up to 2 years and/or a fine of Rs 15,000 will be levied.

Driving an uninsured vehicle can actually land you in jail. According to the new motor vehicle act, you can be penalised an amount of Rs 2,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 3 months for the first time you are caught driving an uninsured vehicle. For the second offense, a fine of Rs 4,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months.

You will have to pay penalty of Rs 5,000 in case you are caught driving without licence. The penalty in these cases has been enhanced by 10 times. Previously, the penalty for driving without licence was Rs 500.

Penalty in case of driving despite being disqualified will cost you Rs 10,000 from Rs 500 previously. Penalty for over-speeding has been enhanced from up to Rs 400 to Rs 1,000. In case of a light motor vehicle it will be Rs 2,000. For medium passenger or goods vehicles and subsequent offence, the penalty can be between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000.

If you are caught racing and speeding, you can be imprisoned for up to one month and/or a fine up to Rs 500 will be levied if it is a first time offense. In case of a second offense, though imprisonment will remain same, the penalty can go up to Rs 10,000. Travelling without ticket in state transport buses will cost you more. The penalty amount has been increased from up to Rs 200 to Rs 500.

A penalty of Rs 2,000 can also be levied on you in case you disobey government orders and refuse to share the information requested with the authorities. Prior to this, the amount of penalty in such a case was Rs 500.

Unauthorised use of vehicles without licence will cost you Rs 5,000, up from previous penalty amount of Rs 1,000.

Penalty in case of driving when mentally or physically unfit to drive has been increased to Rs 1,000 from Rs 200 for first-time offense. For second and subsequent offenses, the penal amount has been increased from up to Rs 500 to Rs 2,000.

Offenses relating to accidents can lead to imprisonment of up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs 5,000 for first time offence. For the second offence, imprisonment of up to 1 year and/or a fine up to Rs 10,000 will be levied.

New penalties have been prescribed for carrying of excess passengers, failure to use safety belt and violation of rules in seating of children, violation of safety measures for motor cycle drivers and pillion riders, refusal to stop and submit vehicle for weighing, use of phones in silent zones and failure to allow free passage to emergency vehicles. Causing obstruction in free flow of traffic can lead to penalty of Rs 500 up from Rs 50 earlier.