Bhubaneswar: A day after traffic rule violators in Gurugram made news for being fined hefty sums that exceeded the value of their vehicles, an auto-rickshaw driver in Bhubaneswar had a similar tale to share.
A middle-aged auto-rickshaw driver, Haribandhu Kahanr, was stunned on Wednesday to see a challan of Rs 47,500 for violating a number of traffic rules under the new law that became effective on September 1. He said he had violated no other traffic rule except being under the influence of alcohol at the time, while adding that his second-hand vehicle cost him Rs 25,000.
According to the challan, Kahanr was fined Rs 500 for general offence, Rs 5,000 for allowing an unauthorised person to drive the vehicle, Rs 5,000 for driving without a valid licence, Rs 10,000 for drunken driving, Rs 10,000 for violating air and noise pollution norms, Rs 5,000 for using vehicle without registration and fitness certificate, Rs 10,000 for using vehicle without permit or violating permit conditions and Rs 2,000 for plying without insurance.
“I had bought this second-hand auto-rickshaw for Rs 25,000 about a week ago. I graduated a long ago, but couldn’t find any sort of employment. I bought the auto to earn a living by plying it. I have all necessary documents of this vehicle,” said Kahanr.
Kahanr, who was asked to deposit the total fine amount of Rs 47,500 at the Driving Testing Track at Chandrashekharpur in Bhubaneswar, said he would not be able to pay the huge sum. “I do not understand why I was asked to pay such a huge amount as fine. I have not violated any rule except driving after having alcohol. I have all necessary documents and they are all updated, but I have them at home. I do not keep them in my auto as they often get stolen,” he said.
Accusing the traffic police of having arbitrarily added the fine amounts, he said, “I admit that I have committed the mistake of driving after having had alcohol and I am willing to pay the fine for it.” He was caught by traffic policemen between Acharya Vihar and Jaydev Vihar in Bhubaneswar during a routine check of vehicles plying on the stretch.