india

Updated: Aug 22, 2019 00:41 IST

As many as 63 clauses of the newly amended Motor Vehicle Act pertaining to heftier penalties for traffic violations will be implemented from September 1, Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

The Motor Vehicle Bill, 2019, aimed at amending the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, was passed by Parliament last month, following which President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to it.

The new Act has substantially increased penalties for traffic violations such as Rs 10,000 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs from the earlier Rs 2000, Rs 10,000 for not giving way to emergency vehicles while drivers without helmets will be fined Rs 1000 instead of Rs 100 which is applicable at present.

It also recommends that the parents of a juvenile caught for traffic offences be jailed for three years and fined Rs 25,000. The newly amended law mandates that a juvenile accused of violations would be tried under the Juvenile Justice Act.

“63 clauses which do not require framing of new rules, have been sent to the law ministry for vetting. Followed by the clearances these clauses will be implemented from 1st of next month. These clauses deal with penalties, licences, registration and the national transport policy etc,” Gadkari said.

Addressing concerns over the misuse of the law by transport department officials, Gadkari said intelligent traffic systems will be installed in every state.

“Drivers will not become ATM machines for traffic cops. Even chief ministers are having to pay high fines for traffic violations; now it gets recorded in the system,” he said.

Regarding the other clauses of the Bill for which rules have to be framed, Gadkari said that the same will be notified after completing due process.

The amended Motor Vehicles Act also provides for regulation of cab aggregators such as Uber and Ola.

“The rules for cab aggregators mentioned in the Act and other remaining policy measures will take a few months’ time,” a transport ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

Gadkari said that the new law will help curb road accidents as well.

“1.5 lakh people die every year with the highest deaths occurring in the age-group of 18-35. The socio-economic cost also leads to a loss of about 2% of our GDP [gross domestic product]. The bill will help curb road accidents and bring down fatalities,” he said.

“Our ministry is spending Rs 12,000 crore towards rectification of 786 accident black spots identified by NHAI [National Highways Authority of India]. In addition, talks are on with World Bank and ADB [Asian Development Bank] for another programme worth Rs 14,000 crore for rectification of black spots on national, state, district highways etc,” the minister added.

He stressed on the need to draft an integrated transport policy for national highways, aviation, railways and inland waterways.

He also announced that FASTags, smart cards used for paying toll on highways, will become mandatory for all vehicles from December. “Everyone will need to get a FASTag immediately now; those who try to enter toll plazas without FASTags will be sent back” Gadkari added.

According to the ministry, over 5.2 million FASTags have been issued by the government till date.