MOHALI: Mohali Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has collected Rs 54.6 lakh as compounding fee from vehicles found violating traffic norms in just 30 days. The fee has been collected from 38 school buses, 32 tourist buses and 79 overloaded tipper trucks, which have been impounded besides other vehicles in April, said RTA Sukhvinder Kumar.
Saying that fines were imposed in collaboration with the Mohali police, he said that police set up check posts at strategic locations to check vehicles.
According to him, school buses are being checked under the Safe School Transport Policy in collaboration with the local police and district child protection officer (DCPO), Mohali.
"In the month of April, 32 tourist buses were impounded and Rs 14,43,000 was collected as fine. A total of 79 overloaded tippers trucks were impounded and Rs 19,23,200 penalty was imposed.
Revenue collected as compounding fee (fine) amounts to Rs 54,60,000 for the month of April for around 35 various offences," Sukhvinder Kumar said.
As for school buses, he said that daily drives were being conducted to ensure safety of children under the School Transport Policy. School buses are found to be negligent in the absence of woman attendants, absence of emergency exit or fitness certificate, having drivers without uniform, windows not in accordance with the Safe Vahan Policy and expired first-aid kits, he explained.
RTA officials said that road safety could not be overlooked in view of the rising number of road accidents. He also said that school buses should comply with rules of the safe school transport policy.
