Mumbai accounts for 35.11% traffic violation cases in Maharashtra in 6 months | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Mumbai accounts for 35.11% traffic violation cases in Maharashtra in 6 months

ByVinay Dalvi, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Jul 15, 2021 07:31 AM IST

Mumbai, which caters to 20% of the state’s vehicular population, has recorded 38 traffic violation cases from January to June 2021, followed by Pune with 16.83 lakh cases

Mumbai has recorded 35.11% of all the traffic violation cases reported in Maharashtra in the past six months, reveals the latest statistics compiled by Maharashtra highways.

Mumbai, which has around 20% share of the vehicle population of the state, contributed to 35% cases of violations, levying 31% of the fine and recorded 26.4% of the fine collected.(Vijay Bate/HT file photo)
Mumbai, which has around 20% share of the vehicle population of the state, contributed to 35% cases of violations, levying 31% of the fine and recorded 26.4% of the fine collected.(Vijay Bate/HT file photo)

Mumbai, which caters to 20% of the state’s vehicular population, has recorded 38 traffic violation cases from January to June 2021, followed by Pune with 16.83 lakh cases. Pimpri-Chinchwad with 5.6 lakh traffic violation cases stands at third place, followed by Thane (5.4 lakh cases), Nagpur (4.6 lakh cases) and Navi-Mumbai (4.2 lakh cases).

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Police officers said there has been 61% growth in traffic violations in the state for the six months — January to June 2021, as compared to the corresponding period last year.

“We are concentrating on enforcement. Our aim is not to collect money but maintain a record of traffic violators and also collect fines from those who violate traffic laws. This will send the right message and people will soon start following the law. The e-challan system has helped us maintain a good record of traffic violators and those repeating violations will be dealt with strictly,” said additional director general of police, Traffic, Maharashtra, Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay.

Collection of traffic fines has, however, gone down by 9% in the past six months. As per the latest figures of Maharashtra highways from January to June 2021, around 108 crore cases of traffic violations have been registered in the state, levying a total fine of 333 crore. The authorities, however, could collect only 59 crore from the violators.

Last year in all 67 lakh cases was registered and the total fine collected via e-challan stood at 65 crore and the pending due amount was 209 crores.

Mumbai, which has around 20% share of the vehicle population of the state, contributed to 35% cases of violations, levying 31% of the fine and recorded 26.4% of the fine collected.

“Mumbai has around 38.04 lakh cases of a traffic violation for the six months period which was 59% more from last year’s 23.85 lakh cases. The Mumbai traffic police managed to collect fines of 16 crores, while challans issued were of 104 crores,” said a Mumbai Police officer.

Pune recorded 16.83 lakh cases of traffic violations which were 70% more compared to last year, the overall vehicle share of Pune city stood at 11% of the vehicle share of the state. The total outstanding fine from Pune violators stood at 64 crores and Pune Police managed to collect 8 crore.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad police registered around 5.6 lakh traffic cases, a whopping 212% more compared to last year and collected 2.3 crore in fines. Their outstanding e-challan fines was at 16 crore in the twin city having 5% of the state’s vehicle population.

Thane city, though has a larger vehicular population - 9.31% of the state’s population - ranked fourth in traffic violations with around 5 lakh traffic violation cases for the period of six months - around 79% more than the corresponding period for 2020. While the violators owed 19 crore towards fine, Thane police could collect only 3 crore from them.

In the past six months, Nagpur Police have recorded around 4.6 lakhs traffic violations - about 84% more than the cases recorded in the corresponding period last year. Nagpur police collected a fine of 6.7 crore from traffic violators however they owed 15 crore from the violators in form of unpaid e-challan by motorists. Nagpur city has around 11 per cent of the total vehicle share in the state.

The Navi-Mumbai recorded 4.2 lakh cases, about 27% more compared to the cases registered in the corresponding period last year, and levied a fine of 16 crore. However, collected 2.21 crore towards outstanding fines. The vehicle share of Navi-Mumbai is 6% of the state.

“Apart from the high vehicular density, implementation of traffic regulations in Mumbai is stricter also the number of traffic policemen in the city is far higher than any other city in the state. Also, the system of booking violators through close circuit television cameras is far more effective in Mumbai than any other city,” said transport expert Ashok Datar, explaining perhaps why more cases of traffic violations are registered in Mumbai than any other city in Maharashtra.

Datar said the comparative hike is seen in the past six months because of relaxation in lockdown norms and less fear of Covid, as compared to last year.

“People are coming on streets for work purposes this year more and trains having been closed (for except those engaged in essential services) they are taking out their vehicles,” said Datar.

In this period the lowest number of cases - 16,353 were recorded in Vidarbha’s Gadchiroli town where the traffic authorities levied fines of 38 lakh and recovered 21 lakh.

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