The ‘Zero tolerance’ campaign begins on Pune-Mumbai Expressway.

  MUMBAI:The department of traffic has sent a circular to all the traffic police branches which demands rigid implementation of a three-year-old government resolution which makes them forward the driving licences of the traffic offenders to the RTO for suspension.

The regional transport office is making sure to suspend the license of offenders for a minimum of three months for six types of violations that are mentioned in the GR. A ‘zero tolerance’ campaign has already begun on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and is said that it will be initiated on the other highways as well.

The six violations that are mentioned in the GR are speeding, drink driving, jumping signals, talking on the phone while driving, ferrying passengers in a commercial vehicle and overloading a commercial vehicle. “The GR wasn’t being implemented. Mere penalties won’t deter offenders. Suspending his licence for three months will force him to stay off the road and serve as a lesson,” said SP (highways) Vijay Patil.

More than 35,800 road crashes were reported in Maharashtra last year, which has result in over 12,200 fatalities. A committee that has been appointed by the Supreme Court under a retired judge has asked the states to make efforts for minimising road crashes and fatalities by 10%. A review meeting which was held by the committee on November 12. 

“Every traffic police branch is instructed to forward maximum licences for suspension where offenders have committed the six types of violations specified. An action report has to be compiled by the state traffic department and subsequently sent to the SC-appointed committee,” the circular says.

On Saturday at a marathon meeting, the highway police officers had a discussion with the road safety activists from the NGO Save Life Foundation, based on the factors that has lead to fatal crashes on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. “We discussed how to tackle speeding, non-usage of seat-belts, zigzag driving or lane changing and illegal parking. Enhanced enforcement will be carried out on all these factors as part of the zero tolerance campaign,” said Piyush Tewari, founder of the NGO.