Even I have paid fine for speeding, says Nitin Gadkari

Amid concern over the hefty fines for traffic violations, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said even he has been fined for speeding on the Bandra-Worli sealink in Mumbai.

Talking to reporters about the major decisions of the Modi-led government in its first 100 days, Gadkari said abrogation of Article 370 and division of Jammu and Kashmir was the “most important achievement” of the government. “Criminalisation of instant Triple Talaq and the amended Motor Vehicles law were some of the big achievements of the Centre,” he said.

The Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, approved by President Ram Nath Kovind last month, aims at stricter punishment for violation of traffic regulations and to bring discipline on roads.

“Passing the MV Act amendment is a big achievement for our government. The high fines will lead to transparency, and (will) not result in corruption,” he said. “Even I have paid a fine for speeding on the sealink,” he added.

The minister said road engineering is a reason, along with auto engineering, for the high incidents of accidents in India.

‘Historic moment’

Highlighting the government’s other major decisions, he said, “Our first achievement is passing the triple talaq bill and ensuring justice to Muslim women. It was a historic moment.”

Hitting out at the Congress, he said in the 1986 Shah Bano case, the opposition party overturned the Supreme Court judgement as well.

Gadkari said the most important achievement of the Modi government during 100 days in office in its second consecutive term, is the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and division of the state.

“Poverty and hunger in Jammu and Kashmir were due to Article 370. Pakistan has been running a proxy war there, militants are spreading terror. The stone-pelters are also helped financially,” he pointed out. “My department is executing works of Rs 60,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir, most of them on building tunnels and roads,” Gadkari said.

He also said that the Railway Minister has promised him to make ‘kulhad’ (clay cup) tea available at 400 railway stations in the country from two presently