Amarmani among those with punctured ego egos

If yesterday was the warm-up, it was worth it. Today Operation Crackdown against vehicles without number-plates in the city took off in righ...

If yesterday was the warm-up, it was worth it. Today Operation Crackdown against vehicles without number-plates in the city took off in right earnest, with Transport authorities targeting several politicians and VIPs. As many as 62 vehicles were seized while 83 were challaned on the spot. But the prize catch were relatives of Amarmani Tripathi.

Threats and pressure tactics didn’t work, at least not for today, with Regional Transport Officer V K Sonakhia present along with his team at the spot. SP (Traffic) Onkar Singh and Circle Officer (Traffic) Rajeshwar Singh also supervised the drive from 10 am to 1 pm.

Protesting politicians, Sonakhia told The Indian Express, were politely informed: ‘‘The seized vehicles will only be released after a penalty of Rs 2,500 is paid and after the owner has got the vehicle registered. Traffic police can at maximum penalise the seized vehicles to the tune of Rs 500.’’

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While the RTO seized 26 vehicles and challaned 46 others, traffic police figures were 36 and 27 respectively. The drive was launched on the instructions of the high court, which ordered last month that vehicles breaking the law be fined and challaned. A PIL had been filed in the court following a Newsline campaign against vehicles without number-plates in Lucknow.

Forced to bow before the law today, many politicians could be seen getting off their seized vehicles and walking on foot. By noon, the Traffic Lines at Hazratganj, where the seized vehicles were being taken, got so full that the authorities started sending these to the huge Laxman Mela ground.

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