Travel News, April, 2007

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New traffic penalties in Delhi
by Sandeep Datta

          New Delhi: The Delhi High Court's latest directions on traffic violations have come into effect today. Though by and large most people are in agreement with the tough measures, they do believe that the traffic police department will benefit in the end, knowing their "helpless" desire to accept bribes on the sly. "Is it the two-wheeler or four-wheeler drivers who violate traffic rules or the poor three-wheeler drivers? What about the chartered buses? They are still crowded even when the law prohibits chartered buses from having any passenger standing. The owner of the chartered bus I travel by openly claims that as long as he is able to grease a policeman's palms, the new rules will not effect him, " said Vinay Chadda, a daily commuter from Rohini. The ban on smoking while in motion has been particularly objected to. A majority of the smokers believe that this a direct infringement of their rights under the Constitution. "I think asking drivers not to smoke even in their private vehicles is a bit too much. How can a chain smoker manage, especially when he or she is on a long drive or travelling an hour-long journey to office? It should have been limited to public transportation. Though I support the increase in traffic fines as a good measure to keep freakish and irreponsible drivers off the roads, this aspect of the law is hard to digest," Sapna Das, a Gurgaon resident said.

          Some Delhiites believe that the traffic laws should have been amended and applied in the strictest sense a long time ago. "I welcome the High Court order to tame the indisciplined motorists in the capital. But what the Court has overlooked is that there are several impediments to ensuring a smooth flow of traffic in Delhi. Take for example, stray animals on roads. Despite a court order you find cows on every road in the capital. Encroachment of pavements, forcing pedestrians to jostle with moving traffic; many of the traffic over bridges have no provision for pedestrian crossings," said Varun Nair, a collegiate. "If the court had ordered a holistic overview of the traffic problems and its solutions from an expert panel and enforced such a drive, it would have a salutary effect on the traffic woes of Delhi. But the present order would only give more powers to the police to harass motorists, than "managing traffic", he added. Meanwhile, the new directions of the court have lifted the morale of the Delhi Traffic Police and Delhi Police. "It's a good news for us. Earlier, a traffic offender would dare to throw a Rs.100 note at our faces despite getting caught for using a tinted glass or driving without a helmet, etc. Now, the strict guidelines of the court have added to our power and pride. It would help us to prosecute strictly to stop anyone driving while attending a phone call on cellular phone or while smoking or being drunk. It's our time to keep the house in order with might, said Rajesh Sharma, a traffic constable. "Though the Delhi Police have already been active in controlling the traffic violation on roads and other market places, the new orders of the High Court have strengthened our hands. Besides preventing red-light violations, it will also help in punishing the minors who are often found creating a mess on roads. I think paying a fine of Rs.600 will certainly pinch parents and compel them to think twice before allowing their kids to drive two- wheelers or four-wheelers on main roads, said a senior city police official.

          On March 26, the Delhi High Court had ordered charging violators of traffic rules Rs.500 as costs in addition to recovery of fine for each offence under the Motor Vehicles Act. The latest direction means that violators of traffic rules will now have to cough up Rs.500 in addition to the fine amount for each offence they commit on the road. For jumping the traffic light, for example, the accused will have to pay the Rs.100 fine as well as Rs.500 extra as ordered by the Court. The Bench also declared Lutyens' Delhi a "no parking'' zone with a direction that vehicles should not be allowed to be parked on roads in the area. The Bench fixed qualifications of Class XII pass for bus drivers and Class X pass for conductors and ordered strict implementation of use of seat belt by bus drivers. It directed that private bus drivers wear uniform of khaki colour that would carry their names and the bus staff would consist of drivers and conductors only. The directions came on a PIL by advocate Rajeev Awasthi seeking improvement in traffic conditions on the city roads and issuance of guidelines for the Blueline buses and a suo motu note by the Court of media reports about increase in road accidents and unruly behaviour by private bus drivers. The court had observed that pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders were not safe on the Capital's roads because of rash and negligent driving by rich motorists and private bus drivers.
-April 9,  2007