KOCHI: Drivers vrooming through the deserted streets beyond 90 km per hour enjoying the lockdown restrictions, beware. The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has decided to pull over speed-crazy drivers. 
Besides imposing a penalty, the department has decided to cancel the licences of those who cross the permitted speed limit, and blacklist vehicles caught on speed detection cameras set up along the NH. The department has issued a direction to the Automated Enforcement Wing to prepare the list of vehicles which are caught on cameras for traffic violations. 

“Travel passes are issued to motorists during the lockdown for their urgent needs. However, many of them use it as an opportunity to violate traffic rules. We have decided to take action against such people. The motorist’s licence will be suspended and prosecution steps initiated against the person. If the number of offences is more than two, the vehicle involved will be blacklisted. Within a few days, we will be able to prepare the list of such vehicles and notices will be issued to the vehicle owners,” said Shibu K Itty, nodal officer, Safe Kerala project.

The decision to take stringent measures was followed by back-to-back accidents in the state during the lockdown. In the last two days alone, seven persons were killed in different road accidents in the state. 
If MVD blacklists a vehicle, key services including ownership transfer, registration renewal, address change in the registration certificate and issuing of pollution certificate, will be denied.

Since the Vahan software is being used for blacklisting, vehicle owners will not get any service from MVD. “The Supreme Court Committee for the Road Safety has also directed the state government to take action against the drivers who violate the traffic rules. The committee has also found that some persons have developed a tendency to speed leading to a number of accidents.