The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday slammed the State authorities for failing to enforce traffic rules in Ahmedabad city and observed that the people had no fear of the authorities “who have no spine or guts” to regulate traffic violations like over speeding, wrong side driving, irregular parking.
The court also mentioned an accident at a flyover in which an over-speeding car ran over a crowd, killing nine persons in one of the worst accidents in the city.
“Where is the fear of traffic laws? With impunity it is being violated. You don’t do anything. You don’t have guts and spine to enforce the law,” the Division Bench said in an oral observation while hearing a contempt petition on Tuesday.
The contempt of court plea was filed by Mustak Hussain Kadri against the State government and Ahmedabad city authorities for allegedly not complying with the directions passed by the High Court on a public interest litigation petition he had filed on the regulation of traffic.
The judges, however, stopped short of framing contempt charges against the Ahmedabad municipal commissioner and traffic commissioner, as prayed by the petitioner and gave them time after the government pleader assured the court that the past directions issued by the High Court would be implemented immediately.
The Bench also adjourned the matter for further hearing on August 9.
In connection with the July 20 accident on the flyover, the Police arrested Tathya Patel who was driving at the speed of 142 km per hour as per the Forensic Science Laboratory report. Mr. Patel has been sent to the judicial custody after a three-day police remand. His father Pragnesh Patel also been arrested and is in judicial custody.
In a strong observation by the Bench of Justices A.S. Supehia and M.R. Mengdey, the court held that had police carried out regular checks, the tragedy could have been averted.
Taking on the Police and the Municipal authorities, Justice Supehia remarked that the police remained mute spectators as the drivers violated traffic rules.
“Do you know the core issue? The real reason why these things are happening is because these perpetrators have no fear of law. They blatantly, with impunity, violate the law,” Justice Supehia said.
“You don’t have the spine to implement traffic laws. Neither do you have the will to implement it,” he said, adding “You were boasting about CCTV cameras. This accident highlighted the fact that CCTV cameras were not working.”
In recent years, Ahmedabad has become a hub of over speeding driving of high-end cars or bikes in posh western parts of the city.
There have been several hit and runs in the past but still the police authorities have been found to be lax in strictly enforcing the traffic rules.
