Bhubaneswar: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik allowed relaxation to motorists for three months, Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera Tuesday said transport offices in the state will remain open in holidays to allow people to prepare documents needed as per the amended Motor Vehicles Act.
Behera said special camps will be set up at different places to help motorists comply with the amended provisions of the MV Act. “The state government will provide all kinds of support to public to help them arrange their vehicle documents within the relaxation period (three months),” he said.
In the afternoon, Transport secretary G Srinivas held a video conferencing meeting with Regional
Transport Officers (RTOs) and asked them to open more counters at their respective offices to enable people to get the documents for their vehicles in time. Most of the counters will deal with new driving licences and renewal of old ones, Srinivas said.
“To avoid heavy rush of people at pollution testing centres, more such centres will be opened. Besides, stern action will be taken against brokers who charge hefty amounts from people to prepare their documents,” he added. The secretary also made it clear that despite the three-month relaxation in the checking of vehicles, no mercy will be shown to drunk drivers. Srinivas has also written a letter to DGP Bijay Kumar Sharma and Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi not to harass public in the name of the amended MV Act.
“It has brought to the notice of the government that while enforcing the amended law, there are instances of harassment by police leading to public resentment. Therefore, you are requested to take necessary steps by issuing suitable instructions to all SPs/ Dy Commissioners of Police to ensure that while enforcing different provisions of the MV Act, vehicle owners are not unnecessarily harassed,” read the letter. If any police official is found harassing commuters, he or she is liable to pay twice the amount of fine imposed on the motorist, he pointed out.
Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi asked motorists to prepare required documents within three months. Once the relaxation period gets over, they will face action if they are found violating traffic norms, he warned.
Following CM’s instruction, traffic cops started creating awareness among motorists and distributed red roses to commutes who followed norms and helmets to motorists who were caught without helmets.