Traffic police face threats from leaders of local political and caste outfits

TIRUNELVELI:

In the midst of intense pressure and threats from the local leaders of political parties and the caste outfits, the police are conducting vehicle checks and fine the violators in the district after the revised traffic violation fines came into effect in October.

 When the Tamil Nadu Government, with the objective curbing traffic rule violations that often lead to fatal accidents and following the amendments made in the road safety rules by the Union Government, revised traffic fines from October 28 last, the existing fines for most of the violations have even tripled. While riding bikes without valid license would attract a fine of ₹5,000, the traffic signal violators are fined Rs. 1,000. Speaking over the mobile phone while driving car or riding bike will attract the fine of ₹1,000 for the first time and the fine for repeated offence would go up to ₹10,000.

 Another interesting feature is obstructing fire-tenders or ambulances rushing with patients to the hospitals that would lead to fining of ₹10,000 and the rash-driving will also attract the fine of ₹1,000 which will be ₹10,000 for the second-time violation.

 Those who participate in illegal races on the roads will be fined Rs. 5,000 for the first time and the fine amount will be Rs. 10,000 for the second-time offenders. Even modified exhausts that irritate the road-users will be fined ₹1,000.

 The most common offence – riding bikes without helmet – will attract the fine of ₹1,000.

 Armed with the revised rules, the police have intensified vehicle check across the district only to be threatened by the local leaders of major political parties and the caste outfits.

 When a constable attached to the Department of Traffic intercepted a bike rider near Palayamkottai market on last Monday morning, the constable found that the rider, who was violating one-way rule without helmet, did not have driving license. Even before the police could book him, he contacted someone over the phone and handed over the phone to the police.