PUNE: The police is driving home a point:
Traffic rule violation will cost you.
In just 11 days, nearly 19,000 motorists across the city and
Pimpri Chinchwad were rapped for breaking traffic rules — driving while talking on the cellphone, helmetless riding, driving without seatbelts, drunk driving triple, riding etc. — and were collective fined upward of Rs76 lakh.
Ashok Morale, the deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said between April 23 and May 5, the police have fined 2,705 motorists found talking on the cellphone while driving their cars or motorcycles and collected Rs4.79 lakh as fines. This special drive is part of the
traffic awareness fortnight programme. “Our motive is to spread awareness on the illeffects of talking on the phone while driving. It can distract the driver and cause road accidents,” Morale said.
Also booked were1,276 four-wheeler drivers for failing to put on seat belts. They were collectively fined Rs 2.37 lakh. Morale added police have fined 13,602 helmetless two-wheeler riders to the tune of Rs6.64 lakh. Other traffic rule violators like rash drivers, drunk drivers, triple-riders etc. were not spared either. “We have impounded 69 vehicles of the drunk drivers and the cases have been sent to the concerned courts for further action,” he said.
Overall, in 11 days, police fined and booked as many as 18,816 motorists and collected Rs76.60 lakh as fines from these traffic rule offenders.
But it was not all about rebukes and penalties. The police were equally willing to acknowledge those who adhered to traffic rules. “We have given on-the-spot rewards to motorcyclists who are found riding with their helmets on,” he said.
The special drive will continue for a couple of more days and police have appealed the people to follow all the traffic rules and to carry necessary documents with them.
“Most of the traffic police personnel are out on the roads as part of the traffic awareness drive. All motorists are requested to follow all traffic rules,” Morale said.
Representative Image