The Chennai City Traffic Police (CCTP) have imposed fines to the tune of ₹3.12 crore on motorists found driving without wearing face masks from May 22.
In mid-April, the Greater Chennai Corporation made it compulsory for residents stepping out of their homes to wear a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Following this, the CCTP personnel invoked the provisions of Section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act which stipulates ₹500 fine for motorists violating rules.
A senior police officer said that the CCTP have booked 62,454 cases against motorists for not wearing masks and collected over ₹3.12 crore as fine, from May 22 to June 15. “It is not our intention to collect more fines. We want to make people realise the necessity of wearing masks,” he said.
Since June 1, two-wheelers, four wheelers and autos were allowed to ply with certain restrictions on the number of passengers in those vehicles. The CCTP booked 13,772 cases against two-wheeler riders for taking pillion riders. A sum of ₹68.86 lakh has been collected from such motorists as fine. Likewise, 2,835 cases were booked against autorickshaws carrying over two passengers and ₹14 lakh in fine collected from them. As many as 939 cases were booked against car drivers for carrying more than the prescribed number of passengers and ₹46 lakh collected in fine from them.
“Altogether, we have booked 80,000 cases and collected ₹4 crore fine from the violators from May 22,” the official said.
Meanwhile, a press note from the DGP’s office said 5,97,863 violations have been reported across the State so far during the COVID-19 lockdown period. As many as 6,45,233 persons were arrested for violation of prohibitory orders across the State and released on bail. Over 4,74,087 vehicles were seized and ₹12.87 crore total fine collected from the violators across the State.
