Another auto-rickshaw driver fined Rs 27,500 for violating traffic rules in Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: A day after an auto-rickshaw driver and owner were fined over Rs 45,000 for flouting new traffic rules implemented by Commissionerate police, another auto-rickshaw driver was slapped with a huge amount of fine for the same offence.

The Commissionerate Traffic police issued challan of Rs 27,500 against auto-rickshaw owner Rabindra Kumar Sahoo, a resident of Bijipur under Tomando police limits, and driver Kabindra Sahoo from Bolgarh area in Khordha district, for violating traffic rules.

The driver and owner of auto-rickshaw were fined Rs 500 for general offence, Rs 10,000 for violating air pollution, Rs 5,000 for using vehicle without registration and fitness certificate (FC), Rs 10,000 for using vehicle without permit or violating permit conditions and Rs 2,000 for plying without insurance.

According to reports, auto-rickshaw driver Kabindra Sahoo landed in trouble after he failed to produce valid documents related to the vehicle including FC, pollution certificate, road permit during strict frisking conducted by the motor vehicle officials on Vani Vihar flyover in Bhubaneswar.

This was the second incident in two consecutive days after implementation of the new Motor Vehicles law in Odisha.

Yesterday, a challan amount of Rs 47,500 was served to an auto-rickshaw driver and owner in Bhubaneswar for violating rules under Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019.

However, imposition of such huge amount of penalty for violation of traffic rules has drawn flak from people of all walks of life.

“We welcome the revised traffic rules for zero tolerance against violators. However, it was too early to implement the rules. The penalty system should have been introduced after conducting awareness programme and the citizens should have at least one-month of time to be aware of the new Act,” said a denizen in Bhubaneswar.