Getting license becomes tougher as LS passes motor vehicle amendment bill

New Delhi: The Motor Vehicle Act (Amendment) Bill, 2016, a bill for amending the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 has been approved in the Lok Sabha. The bill, which seeks to bring radical reforms in the transport sector that will usher in multi-fold hike in fine for traffic violations, compensation of Rs 5 Lakh for grave injuries and check bogus license and vehicle theft.

The Motor Vehicle Act (Amendment) Bill, 2016 also calls for 100 per cent e-governance and will cap maximum liability for third party insurance at Rs 10 lakh in case of death in a motor accident.

The bill was passed by a voice vote after several opposition amendments were rejected, including one moved by a CPI(M) member on enhancing the compensation in case of accidents.

Getting the license would not be so easy under Motor Vehicle Act (Amendment) Bill, 2016:

• Once the changes are incorporated in the law, it would be impossible for anyone including VIPs like politicians to obtain driving licence without tests.
• Even ministers would not be able to obtain driving licence sitting at home.
• Under the new system, everyone will have to go to the licence issuing authority under a uniform procedure and if the licence is not issued in three days, the RTO will have to face action.
• A learner's licence can be availed online sitting at home.

Also Read: India, Australia ink six pacts including cooperation in counter-terrorism

Actions on drunk driving:

• The government has decided to take strict action against people who drink and drive.
• The ministry has also planned to come up with crash barriers on the roadside.
• The government has already 786 black spots across the country which are accident prone.
• There is a provision in the bill under which if holes are found on roads, DPR designer and contractor would be held accountable and would be black listed.

In slide ahead: Read what transport minister Nitin Gadkari said about the Bill...

What Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said:

• All efforts would be made to eliminate corruption in the sector.
• We will have to bring online governance to put an end to the corruption. Corruption would not be tolerated and we are firm on this.
• No bogus driving licences would be made and there would be no theft of vehicles once there is e-governance.
• The bill proposes a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. This is not the upper limit. After getting this amount (the affected family) can withdraw the case or appeal.
• This (Rs 5 lakh) is being done to ensure that there are less court cases and immediate compensation is given.
• It would not be possible to increase the compensation in case of death to Rs 20 lakh as it would entail substantial hike in insurance premium.
• There is no upper ceiling in awarding compensation by Claims Tribunal.

You may also read: Google doodles on the 130th anniversary of Indian Painter Jamini Roy

• The bill also has provision for payment of entire compensation by insurance companies.
• In case of death in hit-and-run accidents, the bill provides for eight-fold increase in compensation to Rs 2 lakh.
• There should be uniformity in the rules concerning issuance of driving licences.
• Through e-governance, there would be provision of electronic registration.
• The bill seeks to save lives by ushering in radical reforms in the motor vehicles law to slap heavy penalty on traffic violators.
• It would focus on protecting good samaritans and making vehicle-makers responsible for design defects to cut road accidents.
• The basic aim of the bill is ‘to save human lives’.
• Once the Bharatiya Janata Party will complete its five years of governance, we would aim to save 50 per cent lives lost due to road accidents and we are working towards it.
• Apart from stricter penalties have been proposed for high risk offences such as drunken driving, dangerous driving, overloading, non-adherence to safety norms by drivers (such as use of seat belt, helmets), the bill aims to provide for a national database of vehicles and driving licences that would help in safety and security and avoid malpractices.