Get ready to pay hefty fines from this week for traffic violations

GUWAHATI: From this week, motorists who violate traffic rules will have to pay hefty fines as the state transport department has decided to enforce the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019. The violators have to shell out more money from their pockets as the penalty amount ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
Sharing details on the new motor vehicles rules which will come into effect from this week, state Transport commissioner Virendra Mittal told TOI, "All the states are in the process of issuing notifications related to the amended Motor Vehicles Act 2019. In Assam, it's in an advance stage. By this week it will be out. We welcome the amendments and there is no opposition to it." He added that state's notification will demarcate powers vested in certain ranks of officials who will be entitled to collect the fines. For compoundable offences, the traffic police will collect the fines whereas for non-compoundable ones, the court will decide.
Although the Centre's notification came in on August 28 stating that all new laws will come to effect from September 1, enforcement wing officials of the state transport department said they haven't started levying fines as per the amended Act. The officials added that the machines used by enforcement officials to levy the fines are being recalibrated.
Transport department officials said that most accidents in the country are caused because of speeding, drunk driving, violating traffic signals, not wearing helmets etc. They believe the hefty fines will act as a deterrent to those breaking the laws. Furthering this point, Guwahati DCP (Traffic) Prasanta Saikia said in the last six months, Assam recorded 2,359 accidents in which 1,980 people were injured and 928 lost their lives. "It's time to implement the new rules under the amended Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 to make police enforcement drives more effective and prevent casualties," he said.