Kolkata traffic police case

"It was in July last year that special anti-honking drives were launched across the city, especially outside vaccine centres and hospitals. At that time, as many as 1,264 motorists were prosecuted in just 12 days, an average of 222 challans per day," an officer of anti-pollution cell of the traffic police department was quoted as saying by TOI.

KOLKATA: Days after the enhanced traffic fines were implemented in the city, the traffic police has recorded a sharp drop in prosecutions. In a little over a week, between January 28 and February 4, the prosecution count has slumped by 70%. Police said this could be an indication of motorists and bikers becoming more cautious and falling in line to obey traffic rules to avoid huge financial penalties. The order on enhanced traffic fines was passed on January 24 and implementation started from January 26. On February 1, the city recorded 1,001 prosecutions, the most commonly used MV Act Section 122 usually involving stop line and lane and bus stop violations attracting 212 cases. The next day, it came down to 935 cases, 145 of which were under Section 122. On February 4, it fell further to 675 cases, 96 of which were under Section 122. In comparison, on January 28, the city had recorded 2,235 prosecutions (1,298 under The drop in cases of smaller offences is much more pronounced than those in serious violations like drink driving and dangerous driving. Police say this indicates that while irresponsible behaviour by motorists cannot be checked immediately, smaller traffic violations can be avoided if drivers, bikers and motorists are a bit more careful. Another reason for the dip could also be that sergeants of all traffic guards and constables have become a lot more discerning and are keeping in mind the severity of the offence and the financial implication it entails when ...

KOLKATA: The number of traffic violation cases in 2022 dropped by 4,000 than that in 2021 but the total amount of fines collected last year was Rs 198 crore, more than thrice the Rs 54.2 crore collected the year before. Year-wise statistics for 2020 till 2022, which Kolkata Traffic Police released on Tuesday, showed a clear pattern: fewer prosecutions but higher penalty, thanks to the enhanced fine amounts implemented in February, 2022. According to a Lalbazar officer, 2020 saw 24,95,670 traffic prosecutions despite months of low traffic on road owing to the height of pandemic. The total amount of fines collected was Rs 47.6 crore. In 2021, which also saw Pointing out how motorists have been quick to realise the heavy price they have to pay for breaking rules, police said on January 15 and 16 in 2022, the average daily prosecutions stood at 2,732. But a year later, when the fines were hiked, only 1,022 motorists were booked on January 15, 2023 and and 1,471 on January 16, 2023. The biggest drop has been in dangerous driving, which includes speeding, speaking on phone while at the wheel and not wearing helmets. In January last year, cops recorded a daily average of 229 helmetless cases, and the number dropped to 90 this year. "Apart from steep fines, the technology we are employing is also helping us provide ready evidence to violators on where they went wrong. They cannot escape paying the fine by claiming it was merely an allegation," said a senior officer.