New traffic fines: Delhi cops to pay twice the penalty for violating rules

Delhi police personnel will have to pay twice the fine if they violate traffic rules in the national capital, according to an official order from the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic operation).

Joint Commissioner (Traffic) Meenu Choudhary issued an order saying, "Any authority that is empowered to enforce the provision of this Act, if such authority commits an offence...shall be liable for twice the penalty corresponding to that offence...".

For instance, if a traffic cop in Delhi or any other law enforcement officer gets caught for crossing a red light while driving a private vehicle, then that officer will be fined Rs 2,000 instead of Rs 1,000.

Further, Choudhary  has directed all DCPs/Units to sensitise the staff working under them. "Therefore, all DCPs/Units are directed to brief and sensitise the staff working under their operational control accordingly to follow traffic rules and regulations in true letter and spirit whether they are riding or driving police vehicles or their own private vehicles," said Choudhary in the order.

In July, Parliament had passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The new law seeks to tighten traffic regulations and impose steep penalties for violations of traffic rules.

As the Delhi government has not notified the new rules, traffic police personnel have been issuing court challans for traffic violations.

As per police authorities, as many as 557 challans have been issued for drunk driving so far -- 207 for jumping red lights, 195 for not wearing seat belt, 336 for not wearing helmets, 42 for over speeding, and 28 for tripling on two-wheeler in the capital.

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