The Mumbai Traffic Police has decided it will prosecute motorists for this violation at places only where the zebra crossings and the stop lines are clearly visible
With Mumbaikars raising red flags over being fined for violating the zebra crossing or stop line, which are barely visible, at several junctions, the Mumbai Traffic Police has decided it will prosecute motorists for this violation at places only where the zebra crossings and the stop lines are clearly visible.
Speaking at a traffic safety event on Thursday, Joint Commissioner, Traffic Amitesh Kumar said that there is a lot of debate over zebra crossings and stop lines not being visible. "We have stopped the prosecution of motorists over the violation of the stop line cases as of now till the stop lines are properly painted. However, at places where it is visible, motorists will be fined for not stopping before the stop line or halting vehicles on the pedestrian crossings before signals," he addressed.
In fact, as per sources in the traffic police, one of the biggest contention overpaying the fine are the stop line violations. "Maximum number of people who are fined for zebra crossing or stop line violations and sent e-challans raise complaints over the fact that they could not even spot the line as the paint had disappeared. We used to have two to three cases daily where people said they won't pay the fines," said a traffic official.
While activists welcomed the step taken by the traffic department to ensure that the common man is not harassed, they said that it was sad that the BMC was unable to paint proper zebra crossings on the streets due to which motorists halt their vehicles in such a manner that it barely leaves space for pedestrians to cross junctions safely. "Since it is the Mumbai Traffic police that fines motorists, it is their responsibility to ensure that the BMC does the job of painting the stop line and pedestrians crossing properly and ideally motorists should simply not pay the fine in case these lines are faded, as only then will both, BMC and traffic cops take the issue seriously," said a traffic expert, who did not wish to be named.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (City) Ashok Dudhe, confirming the move, said that while it is true that at junctions where the stop lines are not visible, motorists will not be prosecuted they should remember that at locations where the stop lines are painted and are visible, action will be taken. "Letters have been sent to BMC asking them to paint the zebra crossings and stop lines properly so that the traffic police can enforce this rule strictly keeping the safety of pedestrians in mind," he said.
The fine for halting on a stop line or pedestrian crossing is Rs 200.
FINE PROBLEMS
- As per sources in the traffic police, one of the biggest contention overpaying the fine are the stop line violations.
- Activists said that it was sad that the BMC was unable to paint proper zebra crossings, although the move was a good one.
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