BENGALURU: Five days after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa suggested slashing of hefty traffic fines, Karnataka may announce revised penalties on Monday. Armed with a copy of Gujarat government’s notification slashing hefty traffic fines, Deputy CM and Minister for Transport Laxman Savadi is expected to hold a meeting of transport department officials on Monday.
If all goes according to the DyCM’s plan, revised fines for at least some traffic violations could be announced on Monday. “The state government has agreed in principle to reduce traffic fines. On grounds of compassion and humanity, the Gujarat government has slashed penalties under the amended Motor Vehicles Act and we will follow suit,” Savadi told reporters in New Delhi.
After heavy backlash from citizens over ‘unrealistic’ traffic fines becoming a burden, states like Gujarat and Maharashtra were forced to take up the populous move. With slashing of traffic fines, the BJP government in Karnataka is hoping to score brownie points from motorists. The move, however, has not come without its share of criticism. Many citizens have questioned the need for slashing of fines to ease the burden on offenders instead of stricter implementation of fines, that act as a deterrent for violators.