Maha minister disapproves of hefty fines for traffic offenders

Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote on Thursday said the state government was not in favour of penalising traffic rule violators with hefty fines as per the amended Motor Vehicles Act (MVA).

Talking to reporters, Raote said the state government was free to take its own decision on implementation of the amended Act, which came into effect from September 1.

"We have taken our decision that we are not of the opinion to penalise traffic rule violators with hefty challans (penalty receipts). I am personally too against the move," he said.

Raote, a senior Shiv Sena leader, was talking to reporters after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray laid the foundation stone of modernisation of central office of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) in Mumbai Central and other facilities, including an electric bus "Shivai".

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also scheduled to attend the programme, but could not make it as he was busy with swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor at Raj Bhavan, Raote said.

Thackeray said the election code of conduct is expected to be in force in the next eight to ten days.

"The next government will be ours. I thank the Chief MInister for extending all co-operation to the transport department despite it being with the Shiv Sena," he said.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed by Parliament in July. Under the amended Act, the penalty for driving without insurance has been doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 for the first-time offenders and has gone up by 4 times for second-time offenders to Rs 4,000.

The new motor vehicles law also includes several other stringent measures to increase awareness on safety and road behaviour.

Not wearing seat belt, drunk and dangerous driving, over-speeding, jumping red lights, driving without insurance and overloading vehicles will also attract higher penalties.

Now, if two-wheeler owners are caught riding without helmets, they will not only have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 but would also have their licences suspended for three months.