KOLKATA: The Kolkata Traffic Police has suspended 270 licences in May, down from 786 suspensions in March. The total number of suspensions since February stands at a little more than 1,100 in the city.
Around 36,000 licences have been put up with recommendation for cancellation in May in addition to 35,000 cases pending from March and April. Another 9,900 odd cases are pending from February.
These temporary suspension of licences for up to three months had started from February this year after the new enhanced Motor Vehicles Act provisions had kicked in the state. Licence suspensions are recommended for cases like driving under the influence of alcohol, not wearing helmets, triple riding and talking over phone while driving.
With many cops prosecuting those who are driving drunk for dangerous driving, the latter has seen a 10% rise in count. In May, 98 drink-driving cases saw licences being suspended as against 109 for dangerous driving.
The biggest number of violations were for not wearing helmets. Some 31,000 cases were recorded for helmet violation in February-May.
The city has been witnessing a sharp drop in overall traffic violations ever since the introduction of amended traffic rules where penalties have increased manifold.
