Gujarat has brought down penalty for driving a car without licence to Rs 3,000.

The Gujarat government on Tuesday reduced fine amounts for breaking traffic rules, stipulated in the new Motor Vehicles Act passed recently.

Under the new rules, riding without a helmet would attract a fine of Rs 1,000. The Gujarat government said on Tuesday that it would reduce the fine amount to half. Same is the case with driving a four-wheeler without wearing a seat-belt. The penalty for driving without a licence has been brought down from Rs 5,000, as suggested by the new act, to Rs 2000 for two-wheelers and Rs 3,000 for four-wheelers.

The Gujarat government has clarified that it is not trying to be lenient towards people who break traffic rules by reducing fines. Gujarat Chief Minister Rupani pointed out that the new penalties are still up to 10 times of that charged before the new act came into force

Mr Rupani added that the fines laid down in the new act were the maximum suggested and his government had reduced them after detailed deliberations.