HC suggests mobile court for traffic offences

The Bombay High Court came down heavily on the state for its lethargic approach towards enforcing traffic rules,which is a cause of great inconvenience to pedestrians.

The Bombay High Court came down heavily on the state for its lethargic approach towards enforcing traffic rules,which is a cause of great inconvenience to pedestrians. The court said,If people are not changing their mindset in following the rules,then you have to do it. The court has also ordered the state government to consider setting up of a mobile court to book traffic offenders.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice S J Katawala was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Bombay Bar Association. The petition states that the traffic police and BMC are unable to man the roads. The petitioner has sought implementation of several suggestions which includes making the stop lines at traffic signals visible,ensuring that vehicles stop before the line,sensitising people in changing their mindsets to follow the rules and stopping jay walking completely.

Government Pleader D Nalawade said,In Mumbai,there is a time constraint and people are rushing,so petty offenses do occur. But the traffic police is alert about it.

Petiioners advocate Amrin Wandrewala told the court,Free turns are allowed at several junctions causing hardships to pedestrians,mostly senior citizens.

Nalawade said there are 100 CCTV cameras installed across the city at various junctions and 24-hour monitoring is done from the Worli traffic police headquarters. If a motorist is found violating traffic rules he is traced through his vehicle number and penalized accordingly, he said.

However,the bench said,We shall depute one of our magistrates to try only traffic offenders on a particular day if it is so. The court also ordered that the state should consider authorizing public to manage traffic at various places and the BMC to paint the xebra crossings and stop lines from the Rs 6-crore budget for infrastructure by January 31. The High Court has also asked the state and traffic police to consider roping in NSS students from colleges to manage traffic. The matter has been now adjourned till January 10.

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Bombay High Court