Fines 'improving' road traffic in Delhi, govt may cut steep penalties: CM

The new structure of fines under the amended motor vehicles act has "improved" road traffic in the city but the Delhi government can reduce the steep penalties which might be "hurting" people, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Friday.

Pointing to "indisciplined" traffic in Delhi, Kejriwal asserted that there was need to prevent deaths due to road accidents.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, that came into effect across the country on September 1, prescribes increased amount of fines for various road traffic related violations.

Delhi is yet to notify the compoundable offences under the Act, with Transport minister Kailash Gahlot saying that the AAP government is studying how other states are dealing with it.

The new fine structure has improved traffic and made enforcement of traffic rule easier, Kejriwal said.

"There is much indiscipline of road traffic. It is accepted by all that its (amended Act) implementation has led to much improvement in Delhi's traffic," the CM said at a press conference.

"We are observing it and if there are any fines which are hurting people and which are under our power to reduce, we will definitely do so," he said.

The Delhi government is sensitive and does not want people to face any problems, he said.

After implementation of the amended motor vehicles act, the rush for pollution under check (PUC) certificates has increased because people fear being caught and made to pay the fine, Kejriwal said.

Parliament in July passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, considerably raising the amounts of penalties for various traffic rule violations.

Under the new law, violation of PUC norm now invites a penalty of Rs 10,000. Earlier, it was Rs 1,000 on first violation and Rs 2,000 for subsequent offences.

People are paying fine of Rs 10,000 for drunken driving which was Rs 2,000 earlier. Rash driving fine has gone up from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.