A resident being stopped by a traffic policeman for carrying two pillion riders in Muzaffarpur. Picture by Gopi Raman

Traffic offenders would have to shell out more than Rs 100 as fine if the state government heeds the district magistrate’s hike-in-penalty proposal.

District magistrate Santosh Kumar Mall told The Telegraph that he has initiated the process as the fine of Rs 100 does not deter violators and the amount is readily shelled out. “Traffic violators don’t take a lesson as the amount is very low,” said Mall.

“The district administration is now charging the amount according to the government’s circular. So, I have requested the state government to hike the fine amount,” added the DM.

Illegal parking, violation of no-entry, one-way rules and other breach of laws by motorists have become common. At present, traffic cops penalise the violators with a fine of Rs 100.

Troubled over the traffic congestion, the police have made stringent rules to ease snarls on the roads. Divisional commissioner (Tirhut) S.K. Negi, Tirhut deputy inspector-general of police Shushil Khopde, Mall and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Kumar have come out with guidelines to rid the commercial town of the menace of traffic congestion.

Mall said the police have put into effect one-way traffic rules to ease congestion at six locations. The DM said the one-way rule has been put in place from Maripur overbridge to Juran Chapra, Mahesh Babu Chowk to Juran Chapra, Tower Chowk to Juran Chapra, Akharaghat to Tower Chowk, Kalyani Chowk to Motijheel and Ramdayalu to Kalambagh Chowk en route to Law College. No commercial vehicle will be allowed to ply between 8am and 10 at night as even the highways get clogged because of illegal and wrong parking by these vehicles.

The district administration has restricted parking in a radius of 200m on the stretches between Bhagwanpur and Rewa Road, Gobarshahi and Ramdayalu besides Bairiya roundabout and Zero Mile Chowk. Similarly, no parking has been declared in a radius of 50m from Aghoriya Bazaar Chowk to Motijheel. The DM has also deputed administrative and executive officers at Motijheel, Kalyani, Harisabha Chowk, Mithanpura and Purani Bazaar for effective control of traffic.

Khopde has directed the SSP to depute 75 cops to man traffic posts.