Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote requests Centre to reconsider exorbitant fines under Motor Vehicles Act

Mumbai: Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote has requested Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to reconsider and reduce the “exorbitantly increased” fines under the Motor Vehicles Act. [caption id=“attachment_7327631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote. ANI[/caption] In a letter to Nitin Gadkari, dated 11 September, Raote said, “It is seen that the fines prescribed in the new Act have been increased exorbitantly and have raised a public outcry. The Centre is requested to reconsider and reduce the same by making suitable amendments in the Motor Vehicle Act.” Raote, however, hailed the amendments saying that they are commendable in view of road safety. On Wednesday, Gadkari while addressing an event in New Delhi had said that the motive of the government behind increasing the fine amount was to save lives of people and not to collect revenue. “The state government can decide on fines. There is no problem. But this is not a revenue earning proposal. This is for saving lives of people. We are losing two percent of GDP due to road accidents. Is it not the responsibility of the government to save the lives of the people? That is the spirit behind the law. It was not the intention of the government to increase fine to get revenue for the government,” he told ANI.