JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir is all set to have a revamped Motor Vehicle Act, to meet the challenge posed by growing number of accidents that have claimed more deaths that the two and half decade long terror violence.
Indiscipline on roads and the bad traffic management has posed a big threat to the administration in recent years. To meet the situation, the government is contemplating to bring stringent laws to enforce discipline and minismise the accidents.The proposed Act envisages deterrence in terms of imposing huge fines on erring vehicle operators and checking various traffic violations.
Regional Transport Officer Jammu Arvind Kotwal told STATE TIMES that the prevailing Act has become outdated as the violators get away with token fines, which are affordable. “Hence they bother least to abide by the norms”, he added.
Kotwal said that the present Act is almost in consonance with the Central Act. Therefore, in order to have it updated, the State Government has taken up with the Union Ministry of Surface Transport the issue about undertaking amendments. The amended Act will therefore be in consonance with the central law.
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HORRIFYING STATISTICS
In 2013, as per Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India Report, the highest 63.5 per cent deaths due to accidents occurred in Jammu and Kashmir alone. Nagaland followed with 52 per cent of all unnatural deaths. In Jammu and Kashmir, 9, 17, 000 vehicles stand registered. The Report says that the accidental death per 1,000 vehicles is 1.1 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir compared to 0.9 per cent national average. Two wheelers are the most dangerous and responsible for fatal accidents in the State.
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The Union Government has uploaded on website the draft Bill with regard to effecting amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act for eliciting the views of people before it is brought to Parliament during the Winter Session.
The draft Bill proposes for a National Safety Authority and enhancing penalties for violations. The draft provides for a fine of Rs 3 lakh along with a minimum seven-year imprisonment for the death of a child in a road accident. Driving under the influence of liquor will entail a Rs 25,000 fine or a jail term of three months or both besides six months of licence suspension for the first offence. If the offence is repeated within three years, the offender will have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 or face imprisonment for up to one year or both and a one-year licence suspension. A third offence will result in cancellation of the licence and impounding of the vehicle for up to 30 days. If a school bus driver is caught driving drunk, he will be fined Rs 50,000, along with imprisonment for three years. And if such drivers are in the age group of 18 to 25 years, there will be “immediate cancellation” of the licence.
Additionally, the Bill also proposes a fine of Rs 5 lakh per vehicle as well as imprisonment for faulty manufacturing design. It also proposes a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment for six months, which may extend to one year, or both in case of using a vehicle in unsafe conditions. The Bill has proposed a grading point system for imposing fines.
For four wheelers, the fine for without belt will be Rs. 1,000, without papers 5,000, without license Rs. 10,000 besides impounding of vehicle. All origissnal papers will have to be taken along while driving
Fine for using mobile while driving will be Rs. 5,000, drunken driving Rs. 25,000, three time Memo and License seized in both two and four wheelers and after 3rd time of such offence, the driving license will stand cancelled.
IGP Traffic J and K Munir Khan while talking to STATE TIMES said, “We have proposed the government to enhance the fine as the people easily pay Rs 100 and avoid wearing helmets.” He said that fine enhancement, improvement in the road conditions, strict licensing process can do a lot in controlling the graph of accidental deaths in J and K, Khan said.
-VIVEK SHARMA