High Court tells UT to consider hiking traffic violation penalty

These directions were issued during the resumed hearing of a contempt petition filed against Chandigarh and the states of Punjab and Haryana for not complying with the directions issued by the High Court on implementation of traffic rules. The judgment referred to was issued in the year 1998.

Senior standing counsel for the UT Administration Sanjay Kaushal today placed on record the steps initiated by Chandigarh Police to curb traffic offences. The minutes of the meeting held by the Road Safety Committee last month were also placed on record today.

On the last date of hearing,the Court had termed the Chandigarh Police officers “silent spectators” to the rising traffic menace in the city and lambasted it for having “no traffic plan in place” and implementing only “ad-hoc measures”.

The Court also took a dig at the “so called educated and enlightened residents of the city” who “refuse to obey fundamental rules of traffic and continue to drive their vehicles unmindful of traffic rules” and sought the Administration’s response on whether these violators,in addition to being fined,should also be held liable for contempt of Court.

Chandigarh Police has kept a mere Rs 300 fine for various grave traffic violations,including jumping a red signal,driving without wearing a safety belt,riding without wearing a safety helmet,smoking while driving etc.