‘Unaware of the ban’: Drivers trot out excuses to dodge traffic fines over BS-3, BS-4 vehicles
New Delhi: A special team of traffic police officers was deployed near the Ring Road and NH-24, specifically at the Lajpat Nagar circle in Delhi, to enforce a ban on vehicles with BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel engines.
The operation aimed to immediately stop any such vehicles on the road and impose fines, with penalties of Rs 20,000 for the violators.
However, this crackdown revealed the challenges in enforcing the ban, as many drivers came up with various excuses to avoid hefty fines. Some claimed to be unaware of the ban, while others cited valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates as a defence.
There were also those who mentioned essential errands as the reason for being on the road, while some out-of-state drivers professed ignorance about the ban. The majority of those found unaware of the ban were driving vehicles registered in other states, including Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that they had not received any SMS notifications from the Delhi transport department regarding the ban, leading to their lack of awareness.
One notable incident involved a driver of a Haryana-registered vehicle who vehemently argued with traffic police officers upon being stopped. He initially claimed that his vehicle was BS-6 compliant, only to be informed by the officers that it was equipped with a BS-4 diesel engine.
Upon learning about the fine of Rs 20,000, he expressed astonishment and asked, “Is this a joke?” Nevertheless, the police officers firmly explained that the ban applied to his vehicle and issued the fine accordingly.
In another case, a Delhi-registered Scorpio was stopped, and the driver promptly showed a receipt claiming he had already paid the fine in the morning. Upon verification of their records, the traffic police found that a fine had indeed been issued earlier in the day around 11 a.m., yet the vehicle was still on the road.
Despite the driver’s protests, the officers clarified that paying the fine did not grant permission to continue driving and threatened to impound the vehicle if it was not taken off the road.
Moreover, a car with Uttar Pradesh registration was stopped, and two young men stepped out of the vehicle. They attempted to use various excuses to avoid the fine, and one of them even received a call from a friend who scolded him for not heeding the advice to return promptly. However, the traffic police officers remained firm and issued the fine as per the ban regulations.
This operation serves as a stern reminder to vehicle owners and drivers to stay informed about the latest regulations and comply with them to avoid fines and legal penalties in the national Capital.
