From 85,477 in 2024 to 11,52,671 in 2025: 13-fold increase in traffic violation cases in Surat city, tickets for not wearing helmets rose 60 times

The department has issued 28,340 challans for traffic violations in just 11 days ending Monday (November 28 and December 8), majority of them for over-speeding. Of this, the maximum number of tickets was issued in the areas known as the diamond and textile hubs in Surat where the traffic density is high. Of this, the highest number of 11,200 challans were issued in Region 1, that includes the areas of Varachha, Kapodara, Sarthana, Laskana, Udhna and Limbayat.

These areas see a surge in two-wheeler traffic in the morning (9 am-11 am) and around 5-6 pm coinciding with the factory shifts in diamond and textile units.

Jayanti Patel, a resident of Hirabaug society in Varachha, who works in a diamond factory and hails from Amreli, goes to work around 8 am on his bike. He describes how tough the ride gets.
“While returning at 6 pm, we have to make a stop at different traffic signals, which are at short distances, and it takes a long time to reach home. So people just jump the red light. Also several roads are constricted because of the ongoing work on the Surat Metro Rail,” Patel says.

As per the data, 2,139 cases were registered for wrong-side driving and 7,328 for traffic signal violations during the 11 days – in both cases, nearly half of the challans were issued in Region 1.

Of 9,616 cases registered for over speeding during the period, 53% are in the region.

Region 3 which covers the suburbs of Vesu, Dindoli, Sachin, Althan and the areas of Athwa, Umra, Kathodara, and Bhestan saw 84% challans issued for not wearing helmets, of the total 585 handed out during the 11 days.

‘Obey traffic rules’

The traffic department has registered 7.97 lakh cases for helmet rule violations (against 13,379 cases in 2024), followed by 1,20,296 for traffic signal violations (16,633 in 2024), 1,85,145 for over-speeding (55,465 in 2024), and 50,230 cases of wrong-side driving in Surat so far this year.

The penalty for not wearing helmet while riding is Rs 500 per offence, while overspeeding penalty ranges between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000, depending on the size of the vehicle.

Deputy Commissioner Police (traffic), Sector 1, Ms Anupam said, “We have been regularly carrying out traffic awareness drives in the city to develop traffic sense among people. This year, we have been strict against traffic rule violators, and because of that the number of cases has gone up in comparison to last year. We are registering more cases with an aim: people should obey traffic rules.”

According to Anupam, the traffic police with the help of the Regional Transport Office has cancelled driving licences of those who received 50 or more challans and had not paid the penalty amount. “Apart from wrong-side driving, we will also take strict action against vehicle riders who are honking unnecessarily in the coming days. Two days ago, our team caught a couple of bike riders honking regularly at the traffic signal. They were using imported bike horns.”

A traffic brigade personnel told The Indian Express: “It is difficult to work in Region 1, people mob us if anyone is caught for traffic violation. People argue with us and use abusive language. I have been working in Region 1 for the last five years. For instance, three days ago, a bike rider, who was caught by a woman traffic brigade personnel for jumping the traffic lights, had a heated exchange with her. The offender was so abusive that my colleague has gone on leave”.

“There are around 300 traffic brigade personnel in the city and 94 of them are women serving in the Sector 1 area in Surat city. When we catch a person for violating traffic signals, the person puts blame on others. They even make videos of us and share on social media. We are helpless, but we have to work for our family, so we carry on,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Surat police have installed 2,300 CCTV cameras across the city. The Surat city traffic area has been divided into four regions. Region 1 has Varchha, Kapodara, Sarthana, Laskana, Udhna and Limbayat, Region 2 has Salabatpura, Puna, Mahidharpura, SAroli, lalgate, Katargam, Chowk Bazaar, Singhanpore), Region 3 has Athwa, Umra, Kathodara, Vesu, Althan, Dindoli, Pandesara, Bhestan, Sachin) and Region 4 has Amroli, Utran, Adajan, Jehangirpura, Pal, Rander, Ichhapore, Hazira Dumas.

Meetings have also been held with the diamond bodies to tackle the traffic problem during peak morning and evening hours. Surat Diamond Association president Jagdish Khunt told The Indian Express that in a meeting of diamond factory owners and the Surat city police, a plan to stagger the closing hours of the factories was discussed. “Over 5 lakh workers are employed in various diamond factories. The factory owners have accepted the proposals and started closing their factories at 10 to 30-minute intervals,” Jagdish Khunt said.

Traffic violations in Surat city

Offence Cases in 2025 Cases in 2024

Helmet rule violations: 7.97 lakh —- 13,379

traffic signal violations 1,20,296 — 16,633

Over-speeding 1,85,145 — 55,465