Gujarat High Court: In a public interest writ petition on the proposed flyover project from Panjarapol to IIM, traffic and increasing accidents, the Gujarat High Court on Thursday (August 22) told the state government in clear words, ‘Not to take steps to make people aware of those violating traffic rules and not wearing helmets in Ahmedabad city. But strict action should be taken against them.’Gujarat High Court said, ‘People are so stubborn that they are playing with their lives, but they cannot play with the lives of others. Giving blank challan will not bring any improvement, you should take preventive action against such people and suspend the license.’ Following this suggestion, the state government assured to suspend the license of traffic violators. A bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi expressed displeasure after the Gujarat High Court directed the state government to make mandatory compliance of the helmet rule for two-wheelers in the city of Ahmedabad. Taking an ironic jab at the Sarkarpaksha, he said, ‘We know that some things take time to improve, but currently we don’t see any improvement. We see that no two-wheeler driver wears a helmet in Ahmedabad.’ An outline of the steps taken by the state government in compliance with the High Court’s directions was presented today in this case.
High Court seeks report on e-challan proceedings:
A bench of Chief Justice Sunita Aggarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi also suggested taking the help of technology to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules. The High Court had ordered to submit its project report regarding the implementation of the e-currency process. People who are found violating traffic rules should be suspended for a period of fifteen days or one month without canceling their license which is a sufficient punishment and then people will not dare to commit the offense again. At this stage, Senior Advocate Mihirbhai Thakor, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, suggested impounding the vehicles of people violating traffic rules. Taking a red eye on the issue of illegal parking on public roads and footpaths and vehicles driving on the wrong side, the High Court said, ‘Time has come to take action against such people. People seem to enjoy crossing over from the wrong side. E-currency fraud cases are pending and a separate magistrate’s court is running for them. A traffic violation should result in the license being suspended for 20 days.
