Outgoing Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander speaks to Shubhomoy Sikdhar about road-safety laws.
What are your views on stronger road safety laws
in the country?
The need has been there for a long time. The Motor Vehicles Act came in 1988. Like everything else, the challan amount has to be adjusted to inflation. What Rs. 100 meant then, even by a simple calculation of doubling it every five years, would be close to Rs. 3,500 now, so the deterrence value has to be there.
So what should be the ideal fine amounts in that case?
That is not my place to say but it should be high enough that nobody dares to break laws on Delhi roads.
But one section says that it is beyond some road users to pay the kind of fines the draft bill mentions.
That is not a very convincing argument to make. Rich or poor, why should one indulge in an offence in the first place? This is akin to saying just because someone is afraid of death penalty, the law should be amended to give him a chance to commit murder.
What is the latest on the electronic prosecution front now that cameras have been procured for the purpose?
It will happen soon. I am sure my successor will take the initiative forward and implement it at the the earliest.
