Mumbai In the three months since Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey asked traffic cops to file First Information Reports (FIR) against wrong-side driving in the city, the city police have been able to register 15,344 cases. Out of these, 3,434 motorists have also been convicted.
The police officers said that out of the 15,344 cases, they have submitted charge sheets in 7,090 cases in the magistrate courts of their jurisdictions. The data further showed that the maximum number of FIRs were registered in the North region from Andheri to Malad at 1,871 and out of them 394 have been convicted. As many as 1,753 cases were registered in the South region from Churchgate to Gamdevi. However, the maximum number of convictions were from the Central region from Tardeo to NM Joshi area at 490.
“Our officers intercept the motorists caught for wrong-side driving and take them to the nearest police station,” said Raj Tilak Roushan, deputy commissioner of police (Traffic).
The officer said that after an FIR is filed, the offender’s vehicle is seized. The police officers then file a chargesheet against the offender within a month and submit it to the magistrate court. Upon hearing the case, the offender is called to the court where the judge convicts the offender and sentences them to pay a fine of ₹3,000 to ₹4,000.
Once the fine is paid, the court orders the police to cancel the FIR and return the offender’s seized vehicle. “It is at the discretion of the court. Our job is to register the offence and file the chargesheet. Since the punishment under the sections 279 and 336 of IPC are less than three years, they are let off with a fine,” said Somnath Gharge, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 12).
Although some officers claim that the punishment was not enough, many said that the offenders would think twice before breaking traffic laws. “When the offender was just charged and issued an e-challan, the recovery took years which was not proving to be a deterrent. However, now through the court, the recovery of the fine is faster,” said a police officer who did not wish to be named.
Officials also said that they can observe a slight shift in the attitudes of motorists. “When we had started the drive, we used to catch at least 200 offenders everyday, but now the numbers have shown a slight decrease. Since June, we have been intercepting 150 to 170 motorists for the same offence,” said Roushan.