OHRC Questions Relaxation In Traffic Enforcement Rules

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has sought clarification from the state government on the three-month relaxation in traffic enforcement rules.

The Commission, in a notice to the state government on Friday, has said that the three-month relaxation has encouraged habitual traffic violators.

Taking all these aspects into consideration, the Commission has asked the DCPs and the Regional Transport Officers of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to take necessary steps on the following points during the relaxation period.

— Whether overloaded auto-rickshaws are periodically checked and their drivers taken to task in case of violation of conditions of the registration and traffic rules.
—Whether the persons having no driving licence/insurance can be allowed to drive vehicles during the three-month relaxation period granted by the government to obtain/rectify the legal documents of their vehicle.
—What would be the stand of the state government in case of a road mishap by illegally driven vehicles and in the event that the wrongdoer takes a plea that he/she was using the vehicle as per the relaxation granted by the government to obtain the license and the legal documents?
—If a vehicle driven by a person without a driving licence causes any road mishap, what would be the legal consequences? Whether the insurance company will be vicariously liable, if not, who will pay the compensation to the claimant?
—Whether it will not give rise to the legal complications for the act of omission and commission on the part of the authorities not going by the rule book.
—Whether the persons, who are creating lawlessness in the cities by physically restraining and attacking public officials on duty to enforce the law enacted by the Parliament, go unpunished because of the relaxation.
—Whether the condition of the vehicles carrying schoolchildren is regularly checked and safety certificates have been issued.

The Commission, however, appreciated the efforts and the steps taken by the Commissionerate Police, particularly the DCP (Traffic), Bhubaneswar in sensitising the people on road safety like wearing helmets, refraining from driving vehicles in a drunken state, avoid talking on their mobiles while driving, wearing seat belts and not to ferry three persons on a two-wheeler.