At a cycle track in Chandigarh. Express PhotoWHILE SUMMONING the SSP (Traffic and Security) to court for an explanation on the inaction against traffic violations in southern sectors of Chandigarh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday said people have again started plying their motor vehicles on pedestrian paths and cycle tracks, as it warned to issue notice for contempt to the DSP and SSP concerned.
During the resumed hearing of the case in which the court is hearing issues pertaining to cycle tracks and pedestrian paths, Justice Amol Rattan Singh while particularly referring to Sector 29 observed the traffic rules and court orders are being blatantly violated and questioned the police for not registering criminal cases against people who drive their vehicles on the pedestrian paths and cycle tracks.
“The plying of motor vehicles on cycle tracks and pedestrian paths is still rampant is southern sectors and little action has been taken by the police to instil a sense of duty in people,” Justice Singh observed, adding that it is endangering the lives of pedestrians and cyclists.
The SSP (Traffic) has been ordered to file an affidavit giving details regarding the allocation of traffic personnel in different sectors of the city, the penalty imposed on the people who park vehicles on the cycle tracks and pedestrian paths, and with respect to criminal cases registered against the people found to be plying their vehicles on the tracks. Directing the SSP to remain present on the next date of hearing, the court also directed the SSP to submit details regarding the penalty imposed on the people who stop their vehicles right on the zebra crossing when the red light is on.
“Nobody is challaned for stopping the car on zebra crossing. The enforcement is not done,” the court observed while asking the authorities to also ensure that zebra crossings are at an optimum distance from intersections.
Impose penalty on shopkeepers
The court Friday also gave a thumbs up to the Municipal Corporation and administration for enhancing the fine to Rs 10,000 against encroachments by shopkeepers in the city. The court was informed that the 55 challans were issued between November 17 and December 20 in 2018 at markets of Sector 27 and 28 and during the same period, around 2,754 challans have been issued in different sectors.
Directing the authorities to continue their drive against the encroachments, including those in sectors 27 and 28, where the car mechanics usually occupy the space otherwise meant for parking, Justice Singh directed the authorities to continue imposing the penalty and asked the nodal officer of the case to submit an affidavit carrying the details of the challans issued to the violators. The authorities have also been directed to produce on next date of hearing the receipts of the penalties imposed on such persons.
“When you actually start imposing the 10,000 rupees fine, they will stop operating,” Justice Singh observed.
‘Mera kaam chal jaaye, hell with the world’
As soon as UT senior standing counsel Pankaj Jain submitted before the court that the primary issue in the case is of education and awareness among public, Justice Amol Rattan Singh observed, “Till the time the society is not educated, the law of the land is not to be implemented? Wow, Logic! It is not one or two are doing it… it is everyday phenomenon…”
Elaborating his remark, Justice Singh said Chandigarh is the most educated city but the people have to be penalised to enforce the rules and law. “Next time you will say the murderer is innocent because the person does not know it is crime,” the bench observed. Justice Singh observed that people in foreign countries have evolved as far as the civic sense is concerned but here, he added, the civic sense of people is like “mera kaam chal jaaye, hell with the world (My work should be done, rest hell with the world)”.
