Goa government to slash traffic fines under amended MV Act

PANAJI: Taking a cue from states like Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, the Goa government is likely to reduce the penalties for certain traffic violations, slashing some of the steep traffic fines introduced by the Centre under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.
“We don’t intend to trouble our people by imposing very high fines. In some cases, we will be lowering the fines.Perhaps, we will follow some states that have done it, like Gujarat, and Mahrashtra (which is in the process of reducing fines) and take a decision after comparing their fines,” minister for transport, Mauvin Godinho told TOI.

However, not all violations will see a slash in penalties. “There are some fines that we cannot reduce. It is mandated by the Central government that those fines remain the same. In some cases, however, there is scope for the state government to reduce fines,” Godinho said.
Under the new law, which came into force from September 1, motorists found driving drunk will be fined Rs 10,000 (earlier Rs 2,000), or face a six-month jail term, or both, and for speeding, the penalty will be Rs 5,000 or up to 3 months’ jail for speeding (earlier Rs 500/up to 3 months jail or both).
Speeding and drunken driving are currently among the highest recorded violations in Goa. In the first half of this year alone, a total of 820 drivers’ licenses were suspended for speeding. Another 514 motorists' licences were suspended for drunken driving, from January to June. “For violations like drunken driving or driving without a driver’s license, there is no scope for us to reduce the fines. Fines for other violations like not wearing a helmet and wrongful parking, among others, can be reduced,” he added.
Several state governments including the Goa government have postponed the enforcement of the new MV (amendment) Act. Godinho had earlier announced that the government will first repair the pothole-ridden roads in Goa before implementing the act in the state and charging steep fines.