Use of phone while driving can get you ‘grounded’ for 3 months 

Srinagar: Next time if you are spotted driving while using your mobile phone, you can get your driving license suspended for three long months. Apart from suspension of your driving license, you can even face more action in accordance to the state and central motor vehicle rules—hail traffic police’s city chief who, though delayed, took the decision of acting tough against the violators.

The decision was taken on Wednesday by Senior Superintendent (SSP) of Traffic, City Srinagar Tahir Saleem Khan to tackle the menace of using mobile phones while driving.

“Senior Superintendent of Traffic City Srinagar Tahir Saleem Khan today said that the license of those found using their mobile phones while driving would be suspended for at least three months or more under section 19 of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 read with Rule, 21 of Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989,” reads a circular issued by the traffic department.

As per traffic police chief, such violations are rampant, and there was a dire need to tackle it. While talking to Kashmir Vision, SSP Khan said that people are not even aware about the fact that using mobiles phones on wheels is a grave violation of traffic rules.

“The decision we took has got two different purposes, one is to educate people about the violation and the second is to act tough against violators,” he said.

While describing that this type of violation was rampant and the department has already sent some of the licenses for the suspension he said, “this was the right time to take the tough decision, as such violations not only put the lives of violators at risk, but also endangers the lives those of pedestrians,” Khan said.

When asked if the violation was rampant, why didn’t the department took the decision earlier in order to curb the menace, “I don’t know why wasn’t the decision taken earlier, but once I noticed the violations on roads, I looked for provisions to take any tough actions, there were Supreme Court guidelines on the issue, and in addition, there are rules as per Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, which facilitated our decisions,” he said.

The decision is being widely welcomed by the citizens, while some referring it as ‘delayed action,’ but at the same time, are welcoming the step taken by city police traffic department.

“It is a welcome decision taken in order to act tough against the violators, and in addition, safeguarding the lives of pedestrians, who usually had to face the music of all such violations,” said Adil Yusuf, a University student.

“The decision is a welcome step, but they could have taken the decision earlier as well, mobile phone is not any new phenomenon, and the violations are not also something new, thus the action should have come earlier,” said Naveed Bhat, a research scholar at Central University Kashmir, adding “nevertheless, the department should be hailed for the decision, and what remains to be seen will be the on-ground implementation of the same.”

 

 

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