10,478 penalised for using mobile phone, playing music while driving in 2015
The Traffic Police in Jammu and Kashmir have penalised over 10,000 drivers for using mobile phones or playing music while driving in the past one year.
Reply to an RTI application also revealed that in January 64,981people were challaned for violating different traffic rules, ranging from rash driving to wrong parking.
Activist Peer Noor-ul-Haque in his application had sought information about the number of people booked for using mobile phones while driving and vehicle operators penalised for using music systems in passenger vehicles.
The activist had also sought information about the number of commercial/passenger vehicles challaned/penalised for plying against the permitted routes.
He had also sought information on total number of vehicles owners penalised for violation of traffic rules in the past one year.
“Number of vehicles challaned/penalised for offence of using mobile phone while driving and playing music in vehicles while plying is 10,478,” Public Information Officer, Traffic Headquarters, said in response to the RTI application.
The reply, however, does not mention the specific period during which these vehicle owners were penalised.
“The number of vehicles seized for plying against route or offence of driving by minors is 3,547,” the Traffic Department said in its reply.
It further said during the month of January, 64,981 vehicle owners were issued challans/penalised for violation of various traffic rules in J&K.
In response to the information with regard to the condemned vehicles seized during January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, the Traffic Department stated “nil”, meaning not even a single condemned vehicle was seized in the state during the past one year.
