Gurugram: Kendriya Vihar RWA to impose Rs 500 fine on residents ‘roaming without reason’

Rao Jaswant Singh | TNN | Updated: Apr 4, 2020, 11:41 IST

A quick response team checks movement of residents on Friday

GURUGRAM: To ensure strict compliance with the government’s lockdown order, the residents’ welfare association (RWA) of Kendriya Vihar in Sector 56 has internally started imposing a fine of Rs 500 on anyone found violating the norms within the society premises.
On Thursday evening, a woman who had taken her child out for cycling in the park became the first resident to shell out the fine.
The RWA said it took a unanimous decision to issue the order on March 29 after it was brought to the management’s notice in March-end that some residents were ‘unnecessarily’ stepping out of their houses, roaming around in parks and moving around freely in the society despite the lockdown.
The association said the penalty was in the nature of a ‘reformative’ one to enforce social distancing effectively. A quick response team is also in place to check movement of residents through 40 CCTV cameras.
“The residents were warned soon after the lockdown was announced but some of them were still loitering around without any urgent need. Hence the decision was taken,” Abhey Raj, president of Kendriya Vihar RWA, said. He added that the names of violators will be shared with police authorities for further action.
Terming the move a welcome step, Vaibhav Rastogi, a resident, said people in the society had not been taking the lockdown seriously and were breaking the rules. “The move by the RWA was much needed to keep residents inside their homes,” he said.
However, another resident, Neha Rawat, said there was lack of clarity on the order. “It is very difficult to verify if a resident is going to buy daily need items or just roaming around. The RWA should warn people instead of penalising them,” she added.
When contacted, lawyers and police told TOI that the decision to impose fines was out of the RWA’s ambit, but at the same time maintained that it was taken keeping the interests of residents in mind. JK Maheshwari, an advocate at the district court in Gurugram, said only police and the district administration, and not RWAs, can penalise violators. “However, this reformative fine is for the betterment of the residents and society, not to earn revenue. Therefore, the residents must appreciate the move,” he added.
Terming it the society’s ‘internal matter’, Sector 56 SHO Sumit Kumar said that police were only dealing with residents who were seen out on the roads. “RWAs are doing it (imposing fine) within the societies. They are trying to restrict the movement of residents by spreading awareness and imposing petty fines,” he said.
The RWA, meanwhile, has formed a task force to ensure doorstep delivery of essential items for elderly people. “This will prevent their movement and help implement the lockdown in an effective manner,” said Raj.
“With nearly 2,000 families, Kendriya Vihar is one of the biggest residential societies in Gurugram. We’ve been able to successfully implement the lockdown, at the same time providing all essentials, including vegetables and groceries, to residents,” another RWA member said.