New Delhi: The Supreme Magistrate on Tuesday took a tough stand on the crores of vehicles running on the roads without insurance. The magistrate said that if a vehicle does not have valid third party insurance then the provision of not providing fuel from the petrol pump should be seriously considered. The magistrate has asked the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to prepare a pilot project in this regard. The magistrate believes that if this happens, the number of uninsured vehicles will reduce and the problems faced by victims of road accidents in getting bounty will moreover reduce.
What reason did the magistrate give?
During the hearing, the seat of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra said that a large number of vehicles in the country are running without valid insurance. According to the data placed surpassing the court, out of increasingly than 30 crore registered vehicles, well-nigh 16.5 crore are not insured. That ways increasingly than half of the vehicles are not pursuit the mandatory conditions of the Motor Vehicles Act. The magistrate said that this situation is extremely worrying.
How will the new system work?
The magistrate suggested that the insurance records of the vehicle be linked to the digital system of petrol pumps. As soon as a vehicle arrives for refuelling, its insurance status should be automatically checked. Fuel may be refused if insurance is not valid. The magistrate says that this will gravity people to renew their insurance in time.
Will identification be washed-up through cameras?
The seat moreover stressed greater use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed on highways and cities. The magistrate said that these cameras can be linked to the VAHAN portal and the database of the Insurance Information Bureau. With this, uninsured vehicles can be identified and e-challans can be issued directly to their owners. It has moreover been suggested to the state police to provide mobile apps and handheld devices through which insurance checks can be washed-up on the spot.
What do the current rules say?
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, third party insurance is mandatory for driving any vehicle on a public road. If the rule is wrenched for the first time, the punishment can be jail up to three months, fine up to Rs 2,000 or both. In specimen of repeated violation, the fine can increase up to Rs 4,000. The magistrate said that the law once exists, what is needed is its constructive implementation.
What reverted the rules for new vehicles also?
The Supreme Magistrate has moreover amended its older order. Now the proprietrix of a new car will have to take third party insurance for four years and the proprietrix of a new two-wheeler will have to take third party insurance for six years. The older periods were three and five years respectively. The magistrate believes that making long-term insurance mandatory in the initial years will reduce the number of uninsured vehicles and increase the chances of wrecking victims getting timely compensation.
