Latest news with #RTO
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Killer buses on Kochi roads: Police report blames lack of background checks for drivers
Kochi: The city police on Tuesday submitted a report in high court highlighting the increasing number of road accidents in Kochi. The report was filed by Kochi city traffic (west) assistant commissioner of police K A Mohamed Nizar, in connection with petitions related to the poor condition of roads and increasing road accidents. The report highlighted the lack of proper qualifications and background checks for drivers employed by private bus operators. It recommended that police verification and character certificates be made mandatory for issuing heavy vehicle driving licenses, in the interest of public safety. Although the motor vehicles department (MVD) had issued a circular in this regard, implementation has been delayed due to objections raised by various unions. In an effort to control speeding and reckless driving by private buses, a letter was sent to the Ernakulam regional transport officer (RTO), in Nov 2024, seeking a rescheduling of private bus timings. However, no action has been taken yet. The report also raised specific concern over the safety risks posed by low-capacity electric scooters. It pointed out that electric scooters are currently exempt from registration and do not require a valid driving license to operate. This allows underage students to ride these vehicles. Furthermore, the law does not mandate helmet use for such scooters, creating a significant safety gap. The recent tragic death of a college student in a road accident near Ernakulam Town Hall underscored the urgency of addressing this regulatory shortcoming, the report stated. The accident occurred when a private bus rear-ended the electric scooter the student was riding. The report further stated that city police has significantly enhanced its surveillance under the integrated traffic management system. This includes the deployment of 39 PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, 44 violation-detection cameras, 19 ANPR (automatic number-plate recognition) cameras, and 13 RLVD (red light violation detection) cameras. The public can also report traffic violations via the 'Traffic Eye' WhatsApp helpline (6328 100 100). Between April 1 and June 30, a total of 1,24,417 petty cases were registered in the city, including 655 cases of rash and negligent driving. A total of Rs 1.37 crore was also collected in fines.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Couple assaulted in road rage incident on LBS Road
MUMBAI: When a couple driving on the LBS road on Sunday afternoon overtook the car in front of them, little did they know they would become victims of road rage. The family they had overtaken allegedly assaulted the couple, damaged the car with heavy stones, and was eventually booked by the Park Site police in Vikhroli. When a couple driving on the LBS road on Sunday afternoon overtook the car in front of them, little did they know they would become victims of road rage (representative image). (Photo by Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times) According to the police, the victim, Avinash Nivale, 35, his wife, their 7-year-old son and Nivale's father were heading home to Ghatkopar in their Ertiga. As per Nivale, when he reached Gandhinagar at 2:30pm, the accused were travelling in the same direction, but driving in the middle of the road. When Nivale overtook their car the accused sped up, overtook him, and blocked his way. In the FIR, Nivale claimed that they had deliberately blocked his car and stopped him from going ahead. As per the police, when both vehicles stopped at the signal in front of the R-city mall, the victim got out of his car and asked one of the accused why he was blocking his vehicle. Nivale alleged that the woman in the car began abusing him claiming that she was an Regional Transport Office (RTO) officer and threatened to suspend his license. The verbal spat escalated when the two accused got out of the car and one of them threw a heavy stone at Nivale's car, breaking the window. Nivale told the police that when he tried to stop them, they grabbed his collar and began beating him. His wife came to his rescue, but the accused allegedly beat her, and molested her too. One of the accused threw a cement block lying nearby at the couple. Senior inspector Santosh Ghatekar said that Navale then admitted his wife in a private hospital as she had suffered a severe head injury. 'We have registered a case against the accused,' said Ghatekar and added that the police were verifying whether one of the accused was indeed an RTO officer as she claimed. 'They were brought to the police station and after we recorded their statement, they were allowed to go,' the police added.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Govt mulls web portal for pvt vehicle owners to clear Rs 8 crore dues
Bhubaneswar: State govt is planning the implementation of a web-based system to address concerns over unpaid dues, amounting to Rs 8 crore, owed to owners of private vehicles hired by various departments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The issue was discussed during a high-level meeting presided over by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja recently. The meeting's minutes revealed a push toward modernising the payment system. "A comprehensive web portal should be developed in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre. The substantial outstanding dues of Rs 8 crore shall be cleared by the transport department following necessary re-appropriation from current budgetary allocations. Any shortfall in the non-programme head will be addressed during the supplementary budget," the minutes read. The transport department has highlighted that govt departments regularly requisition private vehicles for various official purposes, including election duties, administrative work and emergency services. Under the current framework, regional transport officers (RTOs) facilitate arrangement of vehicles at the behest of district collectors. "However, the role of RTOs is strictly limited to vehicle procurement, while the payment responsibility lies with the requisitioning departments, which often face delays in funds disbursement," a transport official said. "The delay in payments has led to frustration among vehicle owners, who frequently resort to protests at RTO offices demanding their rightful compensation. These grievances have increasingly been escalated to the transport department, necessitating a comprehensive solution to this recurring problem," the minutes stated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The transport department had earlier approached departments concerned regarding the release of pending dues, but the results were less than satisfactory. Recognising the need for a systemic change, the govt is now focusing on streamlining the payment process through technological intervention. The proposed web-based system will introduce standardised operating procedures for vehicle requisition across all departments. The portal will handle all vehicle requests. RTOs will proceed with arrangements only after receiving online approval from collectors. The proposed framework will allow willing vehicle owners to register their vehicles on the portal, providing detailed information about their vehicles and availability. The digital database will significantly enhance the ability of RTOs to efficiently match requirements with available resources. Additionally, the govt is considering an alternative approach of implementing a tender-based system for empanelling interested vehicle owners, creating a pre-approved pool of service providers for future requirements. "The transport department will be allocated a specific budget for vehicle hiring, ensuring prompt payments through direct online transfers to vehicle owners' accounts, thereby eliminating intermediary delays and enhancing transparency in the entire process," the official said.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
Cop fined Rs 16k for riding with wife seated on fuel tank, recording reel
Cuttack: In response to two incidents of dangerous bike riding that have gone viral on social media, Cuttack district collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde has initiated a probe and directed immediate legal action against the violators. The regional transport officer (RTO), Cuttack, imposed a fine of Rs 16,000 on a police officer, who was filmed riding a motorcycle with his wife seated precariously on the fuel tank, both without helmets. The couple was apparently recording a reel while navigating a busy road, endangering themselves and others. The video, which has been widely circulated on social media platforms, has drawn sharp criticism for their reckless behaviour and blatant disregard for traffic rules. In a separate video, a young woman was seen riding a motorcycle without a helmet on the Angul-Cuttack route, performing stunts amid the traffic. The clip too gained significant traction on social media, sparking condemnation. Reacting to public outcry and social media appeals, Shinde said, "I have ordered an inquiry and asked the RTO to immediately take action against the errant riders. A case must be lodged under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60m2 prefabricated bungalow for the elderly in Buenos Aires Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo He further emphasised the importance of road safety and adherence to traffic guidelines. Rajesh Behera, a commuter from CDA, said, "Roads are already unsafe with increasing traffic. When people, especially police officers, start making reels while riding, it sends the wrong message. Strict action is the only way to stop this trend." Lalmohan Sethi, additional commissioner of the State Transport Authority (STA), said the RTO has been informed to take immediate action. "This kind of reckless riding, whether by civilians or govt officials, is a serious violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. We are verifying the details, and action will be taken, including suspension of licence and penalties under relevant sections," he said. Sethi also highlighted ongoing efforts to promote road safety. "We have organised several awareness camps across the state to prevent such life-threatening illegal acts," he said.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
TN's new mini bus scheme still remains a non-starter
CHENNAI: Despite high demand for transportation in Chennai and surrounding areas, the Mini Bus Scheme 2.0 that was launched on June 16 allowing private operators to run mini buses on routes up to 25km — risks repeating the same mistakes as the 1997 rollout. The scheme was intended to provide bus connectivity across more than 25,000km of unserved areas across Tamil Nadu. Although the transport department has issued proceedings — a document granted by the RTO after the operator presents the bus — for over 2,000 routes, services have yet to start on more than 50% of these routes, according to industry sources. Currently, mini buses are operational only on 1,200 routes that were migrated from the previous scheme and brought under the revised guidelines. A field survey by TNIE in Chennai found that several sanctioned routes remain non-operational. While the transport department claims services have been launched on 10 routes, buses are actually running on only three. In many areas, services either haven't begun or were discontinued shortly after starting. Even on routes where operations have commenced, only one round trip is being made daily — far below the 12 trips originally approved. 'Mini bus service operators may take time to begin ops' Likewise, in areas outside Chennai, mini bus services were halted after just a few days to a week due to low earnings. Transport Commissioner Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru told TNIE that he will take up the matter with the district collectors.
