Barely 3km, this stretch has become a ‘gold mine’ for MVD

Thiruvananthapuram: The motor vehicles department (MVD) has collected fine to the tune of Rs 7.6 crore from motorists for various violations on the Kowdiar-Vellayambalam stretch, spanning less than 3km, in just four years, an RTI application has revealed. Upaid fine comes to around Rs 12 crore during the period.
The camera system at Kowdiar was introduced as part of the installation of automated enforcement camera system project, which was also introduced on the Walayar-Wadakancherry stretch. Automated speed detection cameras were installed on the stretch in 2018.
The fine so far collected from the Kowdiar-Vellayambalam stretch has exceeded the total cost incurred for installation of 39 cameras on these two stretches, which was Rs 7.14 crore.
The highest number of violations were detected in 2018 1,42,151. While the number of violations dropped significantly in 2019, the speed violations increased in 2020.
The vacant road due to Covid-induced lockdown lured many motorists to press on the gas, resulting in huge fines.
In 2020, 50,990 violations were detected and the amount of fine received was Rs 2.21 crore. 2020 also recorded the highest unpaid fine in four years; Rs 5.43 crore.
The officials said that many vehicles could have been driven at speeds above the permissible limits as part of the pandemic-related activities resulting in violations.
The Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019, further cost dearly for the motorists as the fine for speed violations increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1,500 for light motor vehicles.
As regarding the unpaid fines, MVD officials said that such vehicles are being blacklisted and it is getting automated soon.
“At present, blacklisting is done manually. The process is underway by which the offence will automatically get uploaded from the payment service module to the Parivahan portal. This will automatically blacklist the vehicle preventing the owner from availing any vehicle-related services. Besides, only when the fine is paid and receipt is generated, the vehicle will be delinked from the blacklist. So, whatever fines that remain unpaid will be credited to MVD in two years,” said an MVD official.
By 2021, the number of violations on this road came down by 66%. Less than 20,000 violations were detected on this road in 2021.
The motorists have been extremely wary of the speed limit on this road in 2022 as only 2,117 violations have been detected so far.
Till 2021, the fines crossed Rs 1 crore. The initial speed limit on this road was 55 km/hr and now it has been reduced to 40 km/hr owing to rash driving and spate of accidents.