App, fines cause drop in traffic violations

Mumbai: Mumbai traffic police’s hiking of fines for traffic violations from August 3 and the launch of its app, which enables them to detect and react to such violations, have helped reducing the number of traffic violations as per their records.

Between August and December 2015, the police had registered 2,42,748 cases of traffic violations that pertained to violations like driving off traffic signals, not wearing seat belts and talking on mobile phone while driving. From August to first week of December, the  figure, however, was only 2,15,500, according to their records accessed by The Asian Age. The figures also indicated a marginal decrease in the quantum of fines collected by them this year in comparison to 2015. The fines collected in 2015 were Rs 16.36 crore, while fines collected up to November this year were Rs 5.56 crores.

Under the proposed Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016, driving without licence will now attract a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 from the initial fine of Rs 500. For over-speeding, a penalty of Rs 1, 000 to Rs 2,000 is the new fine rate in comparison to the initial fine rate of Rs 400. Comparatively, not wearing seatbelts would result to a minimum penalty of Rs 1,000 against the initial fine of Rs 100. Referring to the decrease in the number of violations reported and collection of fines, a traffic police source said, “There is a wider awareness about the need to avoid traffic violations. Citizens are getting more serious about traffic rules and safety.” “This revision in fines has not only informed the public, but citizens have now become more alert about the traffic rules, says Inspector Vinayak Bhadade, Chembur Traffic Police. He also adds that, “Citizens now prefer following the rules rather than paying a heavy amount of fine.” One such example of this was seen when popular celebrity Alok Nath’s son, Shivang, was booked under a drunk and driving case in October 2016.

The traffic police has recently launched mobile application, MTP, has also helped to detect flouting of rules. The MTP app is connected to the feeds generated by around 4,717 CCTV cameras installed across the city around traffic signals that enables officials belonging to the city police and the traffic police act speedily against violators.