Mumbai: A day after the Free Press Journal reported about the legal crack down on errant auto-rickshaw drivers, the traffic police on Sunday uploaded new statistics regarding similar action taken in April. According to the data, 25,168 vehicles, including taxis and autos, were fined for refusing to ply, while 4,249 others were penalised for carrying additional passengers.
Similarly, 9,498 vehicles – 5,109 taxis and 4,389 autos – were taken to task for violating parking rules and creating traffic snarls during peak hours. Apart from these, 907 taxis and 478 auto were penalised for double parking or parking at bus stops.
More vehicles were penalised for carrying extra passengers in 2022
As per the annual report of the traffic police, the number of vehicles entering the ‘no entry’ zones stood at a whopping 6,62,681 in 2021, which came down to 3,37,969 in 2022. However, more vehicles were penalised for carrying extra passengers in 2022 (78,921 vehicles fined) as compared to 2021 (48,385 vehicles fined).
“Mostly, vehicle owners know that they are violating the no-parking rule yet they brazenly flout the norm thinking they will not be held accountable. We want to make sure that violators don't get away hence we are penalising and towing more vehicles this year. Traffic discipline is not an option,” said a senior traffic official.
According to sources, the next drive of traffic cops will be against motorists who drive sans helmets and seatbelts.
