Chandigarh: No stopping outstation vehicles sans visible violation, DGP tells traffic cops

A video of the incident had gone viral, with many motorists taking to social media to allege that outstation vehicles are routinely stopped even when no violation has occurred. In many instances, they claimed, they are let off after being forced to pay money.

Director general of police (DGP) Sagar Preet Hooda has instructed all traffic police personnel to refrain from unnecessarily stopping vehicles with outstation number plates unless there is a visible violation.

The DGP’s directive, however, clarified that vehicles may be stopped in case of visible violations such as driving on the wrong side of the road, red-light jumping, not wearing a helmet or seatbelt, using a mobile phone while driving, speeding or rash driving, and suspected drunk driving. (HT File)

This comes nearly a week after a traffic constable was caught on camera accepting ₹500 bribe from a Panchkula resident near the Sector 45/46/49/50 light point. A video of the incident had gone viral, with many motorists taking to social media to allege that outstation vehicles are routinely stopped even when no violation has occurred. In many instances, they claimed, they are let off after being forced to pay money.

A senior police official clarified that in smart city Chandigarh, all challans are issued digitally and no manual slips are permitted.

The DGP’s directive, however, clarified that vehicles may be stopped in case of visible violations such as driving on the wrong side of the road, red-light jumping, not wearing a helmet or seatbelt, using a mobile phone while driving, speeding or rash driving, and suspected drunk driving. Other violations include triple riding on two-wheelers, vehicles without number plates or with tampered plates, dangerous overloading of goods or passengers, and visible emissions of smoke or absence of a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate.