Gujarat Govt Slashes Traffic Violation Penalties To Half, Defies Centre's New Motor Vehicle Act

Even as the Centre is justifying the huge traffic fine amount under the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, the BJP-ruled Gujarat government has announced a drastic cut in traffic violation penalties. In fact, in some cases, the reduction is as much as ₹1,000 from ₹10,000.

Parliament passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on July 31. However, many states opposed the provisions and refused to implement it.

The New Traffic Fines In Gujarat

Under the amended Central MV Act, there is a fine of ₹1,000 for driving a two-wheeler without a helmet, and in Gujarat, the amount was supposed to be ₹500. Now, however, the amount in Gujarat has been reduced to a mere ₹100.

In Gujarat, pillion riders not wearing a helmet will not be fined at all.

Car drivers will be fined ₹500 as against ₹1,000 under the Central Act for not fastening seat belt. According to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the new provisions will come into force in Gujarat from September 16.

“The fine amount for different violations proposed under the Central law is the upper limit. Penalty collection is not our objective. We want people to be safe. The Gujarat government will enforce the law strictly wherever it is needed. We will be lenient wherever needed. That is why we will not impose any fine on pillion riders,” The Hindu quoted Vijay Rupani as saying.

The fine in Gujarat for triple-seat riding on two-wheelers will continue to be ₹100 and not ₹1,000 as under the amended Act, as “poor people can not afford to hire autorickshaw if a family of three wants to go somewhere,” the Chief Minister said.

Penalty for talking on the phone while driving is almost at par with the penalty under the Central Act. There will be a fine of ₹500 for first-time offenders and ₹1,000 if caught a second time. At present in Gujarat, the police collect ₹1,000 for the same offence.

For driving on the wrong side or for dangerous driving, the first-time penalty would be ₹1,500 for three-wheelers, ₹3,000 for light motor vehicles and ₹5,000 for bigger vehicles. The Act, however, provides for fines of ₹5,000 for the first time and ₹10,000 for a repeat offence.

The State police will take a fine of ₹2,000 from two-wheeler riders and ₹3,000 from drivers of three or four-wheelers if the driver does not have a license, as against the amended Central law which proposes a penalty of ₹5,000.

The centre proposes a penalty of of ₹5,000 for not registering the vehicle, as against which the Gujarat government will recover ₹1,000 for two-wheelers, ₹2,000 for three- wheelers, ₹3,000 for four-wheelers and ₹5,000 for bigger vehicles.

Also Read: ‘Traffic Penalty Too High’: Congress Govt In MP Refuses To Implement New Motor Vehicle Act