There has been a fall in fatal road accidents since the stricter traffic penalties were enforced after the passing of the new Motor Vehicle Act, the government said in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The police of various states have issued 38 lakh challans since the new act came into force in September, 2019. The challan amount during this period has been nearly Rs 600 crore.
In a reply to Lok Sabha question by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, transport minister Nitin Gadkari presented the figures of accident fatalities after the new rules. Uttar Pradesh reported nearly 10 per cent decrease in road fatalities during September-October as compared to similar period in 2018. In 2018, there were 1503 accident deaths in Uttar Pradesh as compared to 1355 this year in September-October. The state also issued maximum number of challans during this period— 9.83 lakhs amounting to Rs 202 crore.
Kerala reported nearly 2.1 per cent drop in road accidents during September -October this year as compared to similar period last year. According to the data presented by the ministry in Lok Sabha, Bihar reported 10.5 per cent decrease, Gujarat 13.8 per cent, Uttarakhand 21.8 per cent, Haryana 11.8 per cent, Puducherry 30.7 per cent and Chandigarh 75 per cent. However, there was 4 per cent increase in accidents in Chhatisgarh during this period.
After Uttar Pradesh, the maximum worth of challans issued was in Gujarat where 2.22 lakh traffic challans amounting to Rs 101 crore were issued. Odisha issued one lakh challans amounting to Rs 37.8 crore, Delhi 4.81 lakhs challans for Rs 34 crore, Rajasthan 38 lakh challans for Rs 5.5 crore, Bihar 2.51 lakh challans for 78 crore, and Tamil Nadu 14 lakh challans amounting to Rs 27 crore. Maharashtra issued challans amounting to 4 crore only.
As the figures reveal, the stricter traffic penalties are also resulting in higher revenue collections for the state governments. The ministry said the actual revenue collection will differ as challans are sent to the court where some of them be compounded.
