BENGALURU: Cracking down on vehicles displaying unauthorised names, emblems, names of associations, and others on number plates, the Karnataka Transport Department has collected a whopping Rs 1.12 crore as penalty, from vehicle owners from December 2019 to December 2022. Transport officials said their drive will continue and be intensified till people fall in line.
Mallikarjun, Additional Commissioner (Enforcement) of the Transport Department, told The New Indian Express that according to Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) and the Rules 50, 51 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, display of unauthorised names, emblems and signs on vehicles is a violation.
As per data accessed by The New Indian Express, the transport department inspected 6.07 lakh vehicles between December 2019 and December 2022. Of these, they have found 14,620 vehicles violating the law and have booked them. Officials have collected a fine of Rs 1.12 crore from the violators. These vehicles were found carrying the state’s emblem, names of the positions like state president, secretary, names of associations and others in violation of the law.
“We have created awareness among the public on putting up unauthorised things on their number plates and vehicles. We have been carrying out routine drives in Bengaluru's Urban and Rural divisions. Our officials at Mysuru, Shivamogga, Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions too are carrying out the drives,” said Mallikarjun.
Among all the divisions, Bengaluru Urban had more violations, with 4,765 cases found flouting the rule, followed by Belagavi with 3,633 and Shivamogga with 2,515 cases. Though the Mysuru division inspected the highest number of vehicles at 1.69 lakh, only 1,139 were found violating the law.
Mallikarjun requested vehicle owners to remove unauthorised additions put up on the vehicles, to avoid paying fines and added that the drive will continue.
78 drink driving cases booked on New Year’s eve
Even as the city saw high security and a strong police presence, only 78 cases of drunken driving were booked in Bengaluru on New Year’s Eve. MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner, Bengaluru Traffic Police tweeted that citizens were seen to be driving responsibly and of all the persons checked for drink and drive, only 78 were booked for violations. Despite thousands of people gathering near MG Road, Church Street, Brigade Road, Koramangala, and even Indiranagar, not many violations were observed, an officer said, adding that with extended Metro and bus services, people opted for public transport.