Traffic cops caught on the wrong foot

Ramkrishan Upadhyay 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, February 16  

The Chandigarh traffic police was caught on the wrong foot after its personnel issued challans for violations of six traffic rules to a youth, who was driving an e-bike, which is exempted from the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act.

While Shashank Anand,  SSP  (Traffic), claimed that e-bikes also come under the MV Act and  its rider had to wear helmet, the father of the youth, who was challaned, had been running from pillar to post for the last six days to get the two-wheeler released, which was impounded  by the traffic cops on February 9.

Tota Ram, a government employee and a resident of Sector 7, said the traffic cops harassed his son and his two friends for more than two hours in the afternoon on February 9 at the Sector 26 Transport Chowk after they were found triple riding on the e-bike.  

Although all of them admitted their mistake and requested the traffic cops to let them leave, instead the latter issued challans and impounded the e-bike, said Tota Ram.

“I am owner of the e-bike, but the traffic police challaned my son’s friend Jagjeet Singh, a resident of Sector 28,” he added. 

Challans were issued for six violations, including driving without licence, without registration certificate, expired third party insurance, without helmet, pillion and triple riding, he said. 

“How the traffic police issued challans to someone, who was not even owner of the vehicle? For the last six days I  have been making rounds  of the Traffic Police Lines, where my e-bike has been kept in the open, with a request to release my two-wheeler as I am ready to pay fine,  but  nobody  in the office is ready to accept my application,” he added.  

“I was told to bring a proof, which certifies that the e-bike is exempted from the MV Act. I fear that the vehicle might have got damaged in the rain,” he said.  

“According to the certificate given to me by the company the e- bike (Scooty) has been manufactured by it and exempted from the requirement of registration and a driving licence under the Chandigarh Motor 

Vehicle Rules vide notification dated 16.09. 2005,” Tota Ram added. 

“I also got a certificate from an agency in Sector 21 today as per which my e-bike is not more than 250 watts, which is exempted from the MV Act,” he said.   

When contacted, Shashank Anand, SSP (Traffic), said, “Helmet is required to be worn while riding an e-bike. Triple riding is also not allowed. As e-bike is a motor vehicle so, it is governed by the MV Act.” 

“Dealers are selling e-bikes under the false impression that riders don’t have to wear the helmet,” he added.  

Helmet is required to be worn while riding an e-bike. Triple riding is also not allowed. As e-bike is a motor vehicle, so it is governed by the MV Act.— Shashank Anand, SSP (Traffic)

How the traffic police issued challans to someone, who was not even owner of the vehicle? For the last six days, I  have been making rounds  of the Traffic Police Lines, where my e-bike has been kept in the open, with a request to release the two-wheeler as I am ready to pay the fine, but nobody in the office is ready to accept my application.— Tota Ram, Government Employee