Uttar Pradesh traffic department tightens laws, fines Rs 10,000 for using mobile instead of driving

Lucknow Dt.31 July 2020 Friday

The Uttar Pradesh Department of Transport has tightened laws to prevent accidents and prevent traffic jams. From August 1, mobile phone users will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 while driving. Similarly, a driver caught on a two-wheeler without a helmet has to be prepared to pay a fine of Rs 1,000. The Uttar Pradesh Department of Vehicle Affairs on Thursday officially announced the new rules.

A two-wheeler driver caught without a helmet for the first time will have to pay one thousand rupees while a second time caught will have to pay ten thousand rupees. Yogi Adityanath had earlier in June passed a bill for new traffic rules to tighten the rules. In fact, when the central government announced new traffic rules last year, it allowed states to change them as per their requirements. Accordingly, the government of Yogi Adityanath tightened traffic rules in his state.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had clarified that the tightened traffic laws were not meant to fill the coffers of the government but to curb the 1.5 lakh deaths in road accidents every year. However some non-BJP states refused to comply with the tightened traffic laws.

In reply, Nitin Gadkari said that if the law is lenient or the amount of fine is less, no one will abide by the law and road accidents will continue to increase. However, states are allowed to vary the amount of fines or penalties. Most of the states agreed with Gadkari's argument.