Maharashtra to keep a tab on Drivers

In a path-breaking proposal to discipline errant motorists, Maharashtra could become the first state in the country to introduce Driver Violation Points (DVP), a modern traffic regulation system prevalent in major global cities to curb road offences.It seeks to empower the traffic police to issue penalty points to drivers for traffic offences. A driver risks having his licence revoked if he accumulates a certain number of points.Mumbai will be the first city where the points system will be implemented and will serve as a test case should the approvals to set up the required infrastructure at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore come through. Germany was the first country to introduce such a system in 1974.The Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU), which is funded by the World Bank and supported by the state government, presented its six-month-long study on the DVP to state transport secretary Ramanath Jha at Mantralaya.“It’s a scientific system which is fair to citizens and the city from the safety point of view. We will now take it forward and see how it can be fitted into the existing legal framework,’’ Jha said. The Motor Vehicles Act will have to be amended and the proposal will subsequently be thrown open to the public for objections and suggestions.

The proposal covers 49 traffic offences for which drivers will be issued penalty points by a traffic cop carrying a hand-held smart card reader Some of the offences include speeding (4 to 6 points), failure to use seat belts (3 points), crossing the yellow median line (6 points), parking that causes obstruction (5 points), parking on the footpath (6 points), illegal racing (12 points) and driving an uninsured vehicle (6 points) A driver can lose his licence if he accumulates a certain number of points. The licence can be suspended from three months (for 12 to 15 points) to five months (over 20 points)

The state proposes to introduce the Driver Violation Points (DVP) to bring traffic offenders to book. MTSU project manager UPS Madan said the report has listed 49 different traffic offences where points will be awarded to a motorist by a traffic constable armed with a smart card reader. “DVP will be awarded to drivers who violate traffic rules and regulations, and is intended to identify repeat offenders. The DVP will be issued in the form of a ticket,’’ he said. A driving licence can be suspended from three months to five months. According to the proposal, a DVP disqualification starts 30 days after a formal notice is sent to the person who has conceded the points. When the licence carries 10 DVPs, a notice will be sent to the licence holder intimating him that any further violation would result in the licence being suspended for a certain period oreven permanently. Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Harish Baijal said the new system would effectively track minor violations committed by a motorist. “Today, we do not have any record of a driver committing a traffic offence twice. There is also no provision for suspension of a licence for minor offences. The DVP system will be a major boost for enforcement of such violations,’’ he added. Some of the offences in the DVP system include speeding (4 to 6 points), failure to use seat belt (3 points), crossing yellow median line (6 points), parking that causes obstruction (5 points), parking on footpath (6 points), illegal racing (12 points) and driving an uninsured vehicle (6 points).Madan, who was earlier responsible for doing the actual spade work for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project as the joint commissioner of the MMRDA seven years ago, said a computer data base would have to be set up to record all the entries. The traffic police department will require adequate speed guns, close circuit cameras and hand-held smart card readers. The success of DVP system also depends on the speedy completion of smart card licences by the RTOs along with complete database of all vehicles and drivers with appropriate computer software. The study was jointly conducted by the MTSU, the RTO and the traffic police. The DVP systems of Germany, Singapore, Italy, south Australia and New York was studied in detail. Madan said he is hopeful that the financial resources for the project could be raised from the fines collected from motorists flouting traffic regulations.