50,000 fined for stopping over zebra crossings

Traffic police officers also linked these violations to jaywalking,and claimed that CCTV footage from traffic signals reveal that most accidents involving pedestrians took place around zebra crossings.

The drive — ‘Don’t Kill the Zebra’ — started as a week-long exercise in June 2012 to check the city’s road discipline. On the first day itself,1,919 offenders were caught and Rs 41 lakh was collected as fine. The drive has since become a regular exercise,with the Traffic Department incorporating it in its daily policing.

“We had initially thought of the drive to instill simple traffic rules and reduce the number of road accidents. We are noticing that this basic habit is still not followed by a majority of motorists. We have decided to make this part of the regular policing,” said Pratap Dighavkar,Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

The department said after signal-jumping and parking violations,the highest number of cases registered are of stopping vehicles over zebra crossing. While 3,09,322 signal-jumping offences were registered till August 31 this year,there were 2,09,094 no-parking violations in the same period.

In accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act,stopping a vehicle on a pedestrian crossing is a compoundable offence and the driver’s licence is impounded. On admission of fault,the motorist has to pay a fine of Rs 100. In case of a disagreement,and if the motorist believes that he or she has not committed the offence,then the motorist can appear before a special metropolitan magistrate court for an appeal. The impounded licence can be collected from the traffic chowkie concerned within four days,or from the court after 15 days.

Some motorists,however,claim that several times,traffic constables at signals ask them to go over the pedestrian crossing. “Many a time,we are asked to halt beyond the zebra crossing by the traffic police,and if we happen to do otherwise,we are fined,” said Atul Bajaj (30),a resident of Oshiwara.

Police officers,however,said that this is done in extreme scenarios,and during peak hours only if there is a huge traffic jam.