Maharashtra Traffic Fine

All about Maharashtra RTO Fines

According to data released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway in November 2019, there were about 13,261 deaths resulting from road fatalities in Maharashtra in 2018. This accounted for an 8.1% increase in the total number of accidental deaths, as compared to 2017.

Further, this increase in the number of fatalities put Maharashtra in the second place of the list of states with the highest number of road accident deaths. (1)

According to traffic officials, this rapid increase in the number of fatalities due to road accidents could be owed, to quite an extent, to over-speeding.

To curb this increasing number of accidents, not just in Maharashtra, but on a pan-India basis, the Government of India brought several amendments to the existing Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Following is a look at the amendments proposed under this Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, with instances of how it has affected the state.

What does the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 Propose?

In the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, implemented from 1st September 2019, there were several provisions put forth regarding the safety of pedestrians, non-motorised vehicles, and children during a commute, recalling of cars, etc.

However, the most significant of changes were brought in regard to the fines imposed for traffic violations. The existing penalties were revised and increased by almost 200%, increasing the liability of vehicle owners and drivers by quite a margin.

The increase in the quantum of fines was so substantial that many states in the country announced it as unfeasible and denied following them through.

Were the New Traffic Fines Implemented in Maharashtra?

Maharashtra was among those states that denounced the newly introduced traffic fines as unfeasible after taking cognisance of the entire matter. The state, along with several others like Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, etc. had subsequently put the implementation of the revised fines on hold, citing the interest of vehicle owners and drivers.

But, after putting the implementation of the fines on hold for a while, the Maharashtra traffic fines were finally revised according to the new rates put forth by the amended Act.

Following is a table that illustrates the new RTO fines in Maharashtra, along with the old penalties, as applicable before September 2019.

Revised Traffic Fines in Bangalore

In the following table, we have demonstrated the traffic fines that got reduced on 21^st September 2019 and drawn a comparison with the rates which were previously brought into effect on 3^rd September 2019.

Violation	Revised Fines (from 21st Sept-19)	Traffic Fines (as Implemented on 3rd Sept-19)
Riding or driving without Licence	● ₹1000 – for two-wheelers and three-wheelers ● ₹2000 – for four-wheelers and light motor vehicles (LMV) ● ₹5000 – for other types of vehicles	₹5000 with or without community service
Riding or driving an unregistered vehicle	● ₹2000 – for two-wheelers and three-wheelers ● ₹3000 – for four-wheelers and light motor vehicles ● ₹5000 – for other types of vehicles	● ₹5000 for first-time violation ● ₹10,000 for repeated offence
Vehicle (other than two-wheelers) overloading	₹5000 and additional ₹2000/tonne	₹20,000 and additional ₹2000/tonne
Violating speed regulations	● ₹1000 – for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers or light motor vehicles ● ₹2000 – for other types of vehicles	● ₹2000 – for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers or light motor vehicles ● ₹4000 – for other types of vehicles
Driving an uninsured vehicle	₹1000 – reduced for two-wheelers only	₹2000
Not wearing seatbelts while driving	₹500	₹1000
Recalcitrant towards enforcing traffic authorities	₹1000	₹2000
Blocking the way for or negligent of emergency vehicles which include ambulances, police cars, etc.	₹1000	₹10,000
Two-wheeler vehicle overloading	₹500	₹1000
Driving or riding without wearing helmets	₹500	₹1000
Driving rashly or dangerously	● ₹1500 – for two-wheelers and three-wheelers ● ₹3000 – for four-wheelers and light motor vehicles ● ₹5000 – for other types of vehicles ● ₹10,000 – if a repeat offender	₹5000 for first-time offence and ₹10000 for repeat offence.

As you can see, challan rates in Bangalore for the above-mentioned offences have been curtailed by as much as 80% by the Karnataka state government.

These curtailments come much needed, especially in the face of such dismal microeconomic as well as macroeconomic conditions in India.

However, while these rates have been brought to justice, the other rates mentioned in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 have been kept unchanged in Karnataka.

Maharashtra Traffic Police Fine List

Traffic Violations	New Penalty (as applicable from 1st September 2019)	Old Penalty
Driving or riding without license	Either ₹5000 or community service.	₹500
Over speeding	● Light Motor Vehicle – ₹1000 – ₹2000. ● MPV/LTV – ₹2000 – ₹4000 along with license seizure.	₹400
Driving or riding under influence	● 6 months imprisonment or/and a fine of ₹1000 for first time offence. ● 2 years imprisonment or/and a fine of ₹15,000 for repeated offence.	₹2000
Driving or riding without motor vehicles’ insurance	● 3 months imprisonment, community service or/and a fine of up to ₹2000. ● The fine amount will be ₹4000 in case of repeated offence.	₹1000
Driving without seat belt on	A fine of ₹1000 or/and community service.	₹100
Dangerous driving or riding (includes jumping red lights)	Imprisonment between 6 months and 1 year or/and a fine of ₹1000 – ₹5000	₹100 – ₹300
Violation of red regulations	₹500 – ₹1000	₹100
Driving or riding while using mobile	₹5000	₹1000
Racing or speeding on roads	● Imprisonment of up to 3 months, community service or/and a fine of up to ₹5000 for first time offenders. ● Imprisonment of up to 1 year, community service/₹10,000 fine for repeat offenders.	₹500
Riding without a helmet on (for both rider and pillion rider)	₹1000, community service for up to 3 months or/and license disqualification.	₹100
Juvenile offences	● Fine of ₹25,000 with up to 3 years’ imprisonment. ● Registration cancellation for 1 year. ● Minor will become ineligible for a license until they are 25 years of age.	No specifications
Overloading two-wheeler vehicles	₹1000 or/and license disqualification with community service for 3 months.	₹100
Riding or driving even after disqualification	₹10,000 or/and community service.	₹500
Overboarding cars with passengers	₹200 for each extra passenger	-
Driving or riding without a valid ticket	₹500	₹200
Unauthorised usage of vehicles without proper license	₹1000 – ₹5000	₹1000
Disobeying orders by authorities	₹2000	₹500
Vehicles without a proper permit	Imprisonment of up to 6 months with community service or/and a fine of up to ₹10,000.	Up to ₹5000
Overloading vehicles	₹20,000 (+₹2000 for every tonne above the permitted level with community service)	₹2000 (+₹1000 for every extra tonne above the permitted level)
Driving or riding without proper registration	● ₹5000 for first time offenders. ● ₹10,000 for repeat offenders.	-
Driving oversized vehicles	Fine ranging between ₹5000 and ₹10,000 or/and community service.	-
Using horns in silent zones	● ₹2000 for first time offenders. ● ₹4000 for serial offenders.	-

As of December 2019, this is the list of fines that has been imposed by the Maharashtra government, which is at par with the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Now, according to figures rolled out by the Maharashtra Police, there are only about 26.7 lakh challans, out of total 74.7 lakh challans issued in the first 8 months of 2019 that were settled by motorists in Maharashtra. This accounts for a massive amount of ₹168 Crore in fines that remains yet to be paid. (2)

With the implementation of the new fines, this figure of total unpaid fines is only set to increase!

That is why, if you are a vehicle owner in the state, it is best to adhere to the set traffic rules or risk being penalised with heavy fines, which frankly, is not very convenient, right?

FAQs about RTO Fines in Maharashtra

✓ Have traffic fines been reduced in Maharashtra?

No, the state has implemented the amended penalties as per the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019.

✓ Are all fines same for all states in India?

No, several states have refused to implement the amended fines citing unfeasibility.

✓ It is mandatory for vehicle owners to have a comprehensive insurance policy to avoid fines?

No, only the third-party liability insurance cover is mandatory as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.