The Regional Transport Office is on an intensive inspection drive across Karnataka, and has deployed 40 inspectors in Bengaluru.
In August and September, cases increased by 3,471 and 3,439 as against 2,141 and 1,819 last year (see box).
“The government has directed us to come down heavily on motorists flouting safety rules,” says Transport Commissioner Shivakumar N.
Squads of RTO staff are stopping and fining motorists for overloading, drunk driving, and driving without helmet, licence and seat belts. “We also focus on tax violations and check for air and noise pollution,” Shivakumar told Metrolife.
Bus companies
He says the maximum violations are by passenger buses and goods vehicles, plying without renewing their licences and paying their taxes.
A road safety campaign is being led by 240 RTO inspectors across the state, 40 in Bengaluru alone.
Shivakumar says a major hindrance is staff shortage. “We have 300 vacancies to be filled across Karnataka. The existing staff are now putting in extra hours,” he says.
RTO inspectors are vested with more powers than the traffic police. Besides checking documents, they check if the vehicle is in good condition, an inspector says.
A senior transport official says the RTO staff have the power to cancel licences on the spot. “We can also cap the number of new vehicle registrations on any day,” he says.
RTO penalties
Speeding: Rs 1,000
(two-wheelers, three-wheelers and light vehicles) and Rs 2,000 for others.
Driving dangerously:
Rs 10,000
Modification of vehicle:
Rs 1 lakh.
Driving without licence:
Rs 5,000
Allowing unauthorised person to drive:
Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.
Target practice
The government has given the RTO a target of 26,000 vehicles a month. “Our inspectors achieved 80 per cent in August with 22,906 cases, higher than 21,470 in the same month last year,” explains Shivakumar.
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