Vizag Cops Crack Down on Illegal Number Plates

 Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam district transport commissioner Raja Ratnam has issued a stern warning against owners of vehicles displaying illegal number plates, particularly those that claim to have connections to political figures like MLAs.

The move comes after receiving a complaint filed during the Spandana programme held at the collectorate. The collector ordered strict enforcement of traffic rules to ensure road safety in the district.

The traffic police have decided to crack down on the erring motorists amidst a trend by fans and supporters of Jana Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who are altering their number plates with a note saying “MLA gari taluka” (relatives of MLA).

In a press release, the traffic police department detailed a special drive conducted from July 1st to July 15th, 2024, targeting vehicles with fancy number plates, those driven without helmets, and overloading passenger vehicles.

During the drive, police booked 22 cases against motorists for fancy number plates, with fines amounting to Rs 22,770. Additionally, 32 cases were registered for driving without a license, with fines totaling Rs 1,60,000. Traffic authorities imposed fines of Rs 75,000 for not wearing helmets and Rs 11,500 for overloading passenger vehicles.

The commissioner emphasized that the special drives would be continued and strict action would be taken against traffic violators.