Earlier in July, Parliament passed the Amended Motor Vehicles Act with more stringent penalties on traffic violations by both four-wheelers and two-wheelers with the new challan rates 2019. This has been done with a view to hampering people from breaking traffic rules and addressing many serious traffic problems in India like low-quality roads and traffic congestion, etc. As per the data from the traffic police, 3900 challans have been issued just on Sunday, the first day of the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act. The Delhi government will now consult with skate holders consisting of traffic police before any compounding notification is issued as per the new challan rates in Delhi.
Not wearing a helmet is one of the most popular traffic offences in India, which has experienced a 10-time increase in the fine and 3-month license disqualification.
Speaking on the development, Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister, stated,
"Since heavy penalties have been prescribed under the Act after a gap of many years, the compounding notification will be issued with serious consultation with traffic police and other stake holders."
In the new Motor Vehicle Act, section 200 states that the Delhi government needs to issue a gazette notification for certain offences compounding. Noteworthily, the new challan rates 2019 experience a considerable alteration against the old ones. Specifically, some of the penalties have become more stringent such as those on the ‘Driving despite disqualification’ and ‘Overloading of two-wheelers’ which have increased by 20 times. There are also some new penalties under the new challan rates 2019, like those for the “offences by juveniles”, under which the vehicle’s owner/ the guardian is fined INR 25,000 and sent to 3-year imprisonment; the vehicle registration is cancelled and the juveniles are tried under JJ Act. We're sure that the new challan rates in Delhi, which are much higher than the old penalties, will bring about some discipline in the motorists of the capital.