Team Herald
PANJIM: Law enforcement agencies – Transport Department and Traffic Police – are all set to impose hefty fines on violators as the amended Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) comes into force from midnight.
A whopping Rs 10,000 fine will be imposed if you are found driving without a valid driving licence or using a vehicle without a permit. For overspeeding, be ready to shell out between Rs 1000 and Rs 2000.
A review meeting to oversee the preparedness of the enforcement agencies was held on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by Transport Director Rajan Satardekar.
Speaking to media persons post the meeting, Satardekar said that the new traffic fines will come into force from midnight Thursday. “The traffic fines have been amended after a period of 27 years. The last time the fines were amended was in 1995,” he said.
He said the meeting was held for up-gradation of the systems and the machines, which will be used for imposing fines. “Machines will automatically be updated at 00.00 hours,” he added.
The amended law was passed in both Houses of Parliament in August 2019 and all the States were expected to implement it from September 2019.
The Act levies hefty penalties ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 40,000 (including repeat offence) and even Rs 1 lakh for offences committed by the manufacturer, importer, and dealer of vehicles.
The driving licence of those carrying three persons on a motorcycle and riding without a helmet will be suspended, besides imposing a fine of Rs 3,000 each. The suspension of the licence will be for a minimum of three months. Those caught over speeding will face a penalty of Rs 1,000 (light motor vehicle) and Rs 2,000 (other than LMV) for the first offence, and suspension of driving licence on second offense.
The fine amount for driving dangerously and recklessly and not wearing of a seat belt is fixed at Rs 1,000 each, whereas riding/driving a vehicle without registration/fitness and driving an uninsured vehicle will be Rs 2,000 each.
