Citizens’ group writes to CM seeking extension of rebate on traffic fines

BENGALURU: Following the massive response to the state government’s announcement of 50 per cent discount on payment of pending penalties for traffic violations, the Bengaluru traffic police have raked in over Rs 25 crore till Sunday and settled more than eight thousand cases. The collection is expected to have crossed Rs 30 crore on Monday.

Now, a citizens’ group, The Wheels, has requested and wrote a letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to extended the rebate period for a month till March 11 on humanitarian grounds.

People waiting in line to pay up the penalties at the Traffic Management Centre.

According to the organisation, everyone will not able to pay up the fines in such a short span of time. If the traffic police extend the date for at least for a month, it would be helpful for the poor. People living in rural areas get a little more time, the citizens’ group pointed out.

Traffic police issuing challans to violators of traffic norms.

According to estimates, the Bengaluru traffic police have collected fines amounting to over Rs 30 crore in just three days since the rebate was announced.

Special Commissioner (Traffic) Dr M A Saleem, said, “The department is getting huge response to the discounted fine collection scheme. So far, 8,68,405 cases have been cleared in the last few days and Rs 25,42,56,000 has been collected from violators. If there is issues, people can visit the Traffic Management Centre and check”.

Special Commissioner (Traffic) Dr M A Saleem said he will discuss extension of time for payment of penalties with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after two days.

Referring the request of the citizen’s group and those coming from various quarters like Twitter, Saleem said, “We will discuss with the CM after two days. There are still 1.80 crore cases pending and only about eight lakh cases have been disposed”.

“We are also getting complaints about using fake number plates. We will detect such cases and file criminal cases against the violators. The use of fake number plates seems to be rampant and some of those to whom notices have been issued violators are not paying up”, Saleem added.

Nandakuamri said they lost their two-wheeler last year, but they receiving notices for traffic violations.

Nandakumari, who owned a two-wheeler, said, “Someone stolen our vehicle during Covid period, then we got notice that the vehicle was traced to Peenya Stage-2, but we did not go there and complained to the police. Again, we received four notices for no fault of ours. Someone else is using our vehicle with the same number plate. We came to the Traffic Management Centre as we received a notice for Rs 16,000. We will have to wait for further action from the traffic police”.