UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore presides over the Administrator’s Advisory Council meeting at Hotel Mountview in Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Friday. (Express photo)Coming down heavily on those seeking the watering down of enhanced fines for traffic violations in Chandigarh, MP Kirron Kher on Friday said that “certain things should not be done just for votes” and “hiked fines are a strong deterrent” for people who are violating the traffic rules.
Kher made this statement during the Administrator’s Advisory Council meeting and conveyed to the administration and traffic policemen that they should not go slow or soft on issuing challans to all those violating the traffic rules.
Former MP Harmohan Dhawan said in the meeting that the fine amount should be reduced the way other states were doing. Congress leader and former MP Pawan Bansal has already submitted a memorandum to the Administrator seeking reduction in the fines.
However, Kher maintained that “this should not be done at all.”
“We should not do certain things only for the purpose of votes. Chandigarh is a Centrally administered UT. Moreover, this is for the safety of people. This was brought in Parliament and was supported from people across party lines. These enhanced fines are acting as a strong deterrent for people,” she said.
The MP added, “And for all those who are saying – first educate people and make them aware – what to educate them about? Don’t they know they should not drink and drive? Don’t they know they should wear a helmet while driving? Don’t they know they should not talk on a mobile phone while driving?”
She added that people don’t follow traffic rules and they would not repeat the violation once they were fined.
UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore, under whose chairmanship the meeting was held, suggested that they could purchase helmets from the CSR funds and give them to people. However, Kher did not agree saying that people who are driving are educated enough to know that they should wear a helmet while driving.
The administrator shared with all the council members the future projects of the Chandigarh Administration and some areas that need attention as well as support of the Advisory Council.
Badnore said various steps had been taken up to overcome the water shortage. He encouraged the officials to continue working to make Fit India Movement successful in the city.
At the meeting, three presentations on law and order, urban mobility, pedestrians and parking management plan at Sukhna Lake were made by the respective sub-committee members. Ten standing committees will be constituted to give policy inputs on different subjects.
DGP Sanjay Beniwal said for efficient disposal of issues affecting people, Chandigarh Police would soon come up with modern police control room. The police had taken stringent steps to control cyber crime and strict action had been taken against violators of traffic rules so as to maintain law and order in the city.
The second presentation regarding parking policy was given by Chief Architect Kapil Setia. He highlighted significant aspects of the proposed policy such as strengthening of public transport system, infrastructure interventions; technology-based interventions, management, and enforcement.
Certain members suggested that schoolchildren should be encouraged to go to schools only by buses instead of private cars.
Sukhna Lake area vehicle-free
The administration plans to make an area of around 500 metres near the Sukhna Lake vehicle-free. There are plans to connect the Sukhna Lake parking with the residential area of Sector 5 so that the road from the lake parking up to Haryana Raj Bhawan can be closed for pedestrian use.
UT Advisor Manoj Parida said that they plan to make the area vehicle-free and suggestions from the council members were taken.
A presentation on pedestrian and parking management plan at Sukhna Lake was made by SSP (Traffic) Shashank Anand. He highlighted the present traffic scenario at Sukhna Lake through a video clip. He explained that the traffic management plan is aimed at the safety of the pedestrians and cyclists, at maintaining the aesthetics and heritage, at improving the mobility for road users and reducing pollution of Sukhna Lake.
Ten standing committees will be constituted to give policy inputs on different subjects.
Online procedure for NOC launched
The Administrator also launched the online procedure for submitting applications as well as issuance of the fire safety certificate. The procedure has been devised by the NIC, UT, Chandigarh. This application involves making payments through net banking, debit/credit card, no physical interface except inspection of building; time-bound service delivery, status of application through SMS, tracking of application at each stage and a digitally signed certificate.
