Vehicles sans number plates: Cops watching?

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 16

A large number of vehicles, including PRTC buses, ply without number plates on city roads, giving the traffic norms the go-by. Private buses with pressure horns are a common sight in the city.

Residents say the police have become a mute spectator and do not take action against the violators. They say private vehicles without number plates ply on city roads without any fear.

Jagwinder Singh, a city resident, said, “It is quite surprising that a large number of vehicles ply on city roads without number plates. Some of them even use pressure horns.”

He said the district transport office and the traffic police had failed to enforce a ban imposed on the use of pressure horns, especially close to schools and hospitals.

Khushwant Singh, another city resident, said, “The traffic police have to keep a strict vigil on the vehicles running without number plates in the city as these are reportedly used during theft incidents to escape easily.”

Udaydeep Sidhu, Road and Transport Authority (RTA), said, “Though we are frequently issuing challans for using pressure horns, people do not bother to remove them from their vehicles. Last month, as many as 92 challans were issue for using pressure horns.” 

However, he denied that any vehicles were running without number plates in the city. He said it was the responsibility of the traffic police to issue challans in such cases. 

SP (Traffic) Gurmeet Singh said, “We challan the vehicles that ply without number plates in the city on a regular basis but most of the time, we impound them as well. But due to the less penalty, around Rs 300, the offenders pay the challan and take away their vehicles.”

“As many as 76 vehicles plying without number plates were challaned in November. We are making sure that no vehicle runs without the number plate in the city,” the superintendent of Police (Traffic) added.   

He said they would keep a constant check on such traffic violators and necessary action would be taken against them.