This Indian city not charging traffic fines from citizens for a week

The Gujarat Traffic Police has informed that it will not charge any fine from citizens till October 27. The exemption rule started from October 21 to go on for a week. The move was announced by the state's Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. While announcing the exemption, he urged commuters to follow traffic rules.

Sanghavi told citizens that though they are expected to follow all traffic rules, if they make mistake, they will not be paying a fine for it. “This does not mean you (the public) should not follow traffic rules, but if you make mistake, you will not be paying a fine for it," he said.

The state usually charges fines for various traffic rules violations such as riding without helmet, driving without wearing seatbelt, driving without licence, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving an unregistered vehicle, breaching pollution norms, and not giving way to emergency vehicles, among others.

Some other traffic rules, which if not followed, can attract challans include talking on phone while driving or riding, drinking and driving/riding, not following traffic signals and a minor driving an unregistered vehicle.

In a separate development, Karnataka has become the latest state to enforce the rear seat belt rule strictly. Passengers seated in backseats of four-wheelers will now have to wear seat belts in order to avoid hefty penalty. The Karnataka Police has issued an order, making the rule mandatory for all with immediate effect.

Those who are found violating the traffic rule will be fined ₹1,000. The order issued by Karnataka Police has asked top officials to enforce the rule strictly. It has specified that the rule applies to all vehicles classified as M1, which include SUVs, MUVs, hatchbacks, and sedans. This order follows a letter from the Centre last month which sought compulsory use of rear seat belts inside cars.

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