State Highway Police act tough against violators for halting on e-way
In an effort to ensure smooth and safe traffic flow on the expressway, highway police have penalised a total of 13,480 violators over the last two and a half years
SLUG
13,480 violators fined since 2021
Pune:
The State Highway Police in the Pune region has taken stringent action against thousands of violators who halted their vehicles on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, causing disruptions and posing risks to other motorists.
In an effort to ensure smooth and safe traffic flow on the expressway, highway police have penalised a total of 13,480 violators over the last two and a half years.
According to State Highway Police data, a total of 7,725 violators were penalised in 2021 for stopping their vehicles at no parking zones on the Pune-Mumbai motorway. Of these, 1,373 were tracked down in the Khandala region and 6,352 in the Vadgaon region.
According to State Highway Department officials, a total of 4,694 violators were penalised in 2022, with 1,899 penalised in the Khandala region and 2,795 penalised in Vadgaon.
Data also revealed that till March 31 this year, a total of 1,061 violators have been penalised.
State Highway Police also conducted special drives from time to time, during which the highway police patrolled the expressway and identified vehicles that had halted on the shoulder of the road or the median, violating the traffic rules.
The violators were found to have halted their vehicles for various reasons including taking a loo break, taking selfies, making phone calls, parking for leisure breaks, and attending to vehicle breakdowns.
The State Highway Police took swift action against the violators, imposing fines and penalties in accordance with the law. The fines ranged from ₹500 for first-time violators and ₹1500 for the next violation, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
In addition to the fines, the highway police also educated the violators about the dangers of halting on the expressway and the importance of following traffic rules for the safety of all road users.
Speaking about this, Lata Phad, Superintendent of Police (SP), State Highway Police, Pune Region, said, “The Pune-Mumbai Expressway is a high-speed corridor, and halting or parking on the expressway is strictly prohibited as per the rules. Such violations not only disrupt the traffic flow but also pose a serious risk to the safety of motorists. We aim to ensure that the expressway is safe for all users, and we will continue to take strict action against violators to prevent such incidents.”
Phad also urged motorists to cooperate and follow the expressway’s rules and regulations, such as not stopping or parking on the shoulder or median, using designated parking areas, adhering to speed limits, and avoiding distractions while driving.
She also emphasised the importance of planning their trips ahead of time and stopping at designated rest stops to ensure safe and uninterrupted travel on the motorway.
However, Arun Sabnis, who works on highway safety and security, stated that traffic rules on highways must be strictly enforced.
“Police should strictly enforce motorway traffic rules,” he said.
“The Motor Vehicle Act states that unfit vehicles should not be allowed to travel on highways. This causes a breakdown and is also responsible for slowing down traffic and causing accidents.”
