NEW DELHI: As the violators of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions turn to courts to escape the hefty fines imposed for the violations, the transport department of the Delhi government is likely to write to city courts to not dispose of the challans imposed on those driving BS-III (petrol) and BS IV (diesel) vehicles on the roads in violation of the GRAP.
Officials say that the majority of the violators go scot-free by paying a minimum amount to the courts. Under the GRAP Stage III restrictions, these vehicles were banned from plying on the roads to arrest the deterioration of the city’s air quality which ranges between “very poor” to “severe” categories. The violation of this attracts a hefty fine of Rs 20,000.
“Most of the people whose challans were issued for violating the rules of GRAP last year have not been paid. What is even more surprising is that when the pending challans went to the court, in many cases the courts gave concession and got the challan disposed of by paying a nominal fine. Some people got away by paying just Rs 500-1000 when they had to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 or more,” a senior official said. According to officials, the department imposed challans worth Rs 2.2 crore last year but could only receive Rs 49 lakh from the violators. Only 22% of violators cleared the full amount of fines while the majority approached the courts and got away by paying a meagre sum of Rs 500 to 1,000. Officials said the practice encourages violators to flout the rule repeatedly.
Recently, when challans from last year were reviewed, it was found that only 245 out of 1096 challans were disposed of by paying the full fine. Out of the remaining 851 challans, in cases of 195 challans, the court had given some concession in the amount of fine to the violators. In such a situation, many people should get away with paying a small fine. “No one should be let off cheaply even by the courts. We will write a letter to them that the fine should not be waived off yet,” the senior official stated. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has announced that it will continue banning the BS III and BS IV petrol and diesel vehicles in the city despite a relaxed GRAP regime.