The traffic police have always been severe with violators, but some field-level traffic policemen are in a dilemma when it comes to slapping the increased fine of Rs. 1,000 for unauthorised parking of vehicles, especially in case of two-wheelers.
They are reluctant to impose the fine on two-wheeler owners even if the latter are found to park their vehicles in ‘no parking zones’, and are differing with their top brass on the issue.
“Personally, I feel imposing Rs. 1,000 fine is wrong even if a citizen parks his two-wheeler in the no parking zone. Nobody does it to cause inconvenience to others,” says a Traffic Inspector with Cyberabad Police.
The Inspector, who did not wish to go on record, said wrong parking of vehicles definitely obstructs traffic flow. On this pretext, imposing a fine of Rs. 1,000 on someone parking their bike at an ATM centre or a sweet shop would amount to harassment, he felt. Several field-level officers are of the same view. But the Cyberabad traffic police higher-ups reportedly do not concur with the lower rung staff on this. Field-level officers reason out that a majority of the commercial complexes, shops, hotels and ATM centres lack adequate parking space. Naturally, people have no other option but to park their vehicles on the roadside.
“We cannot openly tell our bosses about this and expect stiff resistance if two-wheeler riders are asked to cough up Rs. 1,000 for parking violation. Public will accuse us of harassment,” says a Traffic Inspector with Hyderabad Police.
However, he is a bit relieved that higher-ups in Hyderabad Commissionerate are not insisting on issuing challans of Rs. 1,000 for two-wheelers unlike the Cyberabad Commissionerate. Two years ago, the State government had issued GO 108 enhancing the fine amount to Rs. 1,000 for jumping traffic signals, using mobile phone while driving, overloading vehicles with articles projecting outside and unauthorised parking.
For two years, the authorities did not enforce the GO for some inexplicable reasons.
A few weeks ago, they announced that the GO would be implemented vigorously. Though there was not much resistance over imposition of the increased fine for violations like signal jumping, several traffic policemen are reluctant to enforce it for unauthorised parking.
