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More stringent penalties for motor vehicle violations such as driving at excess speed, use of mobile phones, driving without seatbelts could be a part of the Centre's rules within a few months.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has now decided to move Cabinet to implement the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2007, on which the Parliamentary Standing Committee had already deliberated in 2008.
PROPOSED CHANGES
For instance, driving beyond the permissible speed limits could attract Rs 500 for the first offence (against Rs 400 at present); and Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for repeat offences (against a maximum of up to Rs 1,000 at present).
Also, if a vehicle owner permits an unauthorised person (without valid driving license) to drive his vehicle, then a penalty of Rs 1,000-2,000 has been proposed in the Amendment Bill, 2007. At present, a fine of up to Rs 1,000 is permitted.
For the commercial road transport sector, the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2007 had also suggested an enabling provision to make the common carriers such as transport agents accountable for overloading.
These proposed amendments were kept in the backburner, because in 2009, the then Road Transport Minister Mr Kamal Nath, had sought a review of the entire process. He had set up a committee, headed by former Road Transport Secretary, Mr S. Sunder, to review the entire Act.
A Parliamentary committee had also pulled up the Road Transport Ministry for not implementing the Bill.
Now, the Road Transport Minister, Mr C.P. Joshi, based on discussions in the Ministry, has decided to move ahead on the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2007 with requisite modifications.
“We have decided to invite comments from other Ministries on the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill based on recommendations of the Standing Committee of Parliament, along with some modifications,” a source told Business Line .
The modifications would be regarding higher penalties for use of mobile phone while driving and not using seat belts, an issue flagged by the Sunder Committee.
The Sunder Committee had recommended a fine of Rs 1,000 for use of mobile phones while driving. It had also suggested a fine of Rs 500 for not wearing seat belts.
The Sunder Committee recommendations will also be studied for implementation in future. The Committee, while suggesting many reforms, had called for a complete overhaul of the Act – a move that would have further delayed implementation of the amendments.
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