Licences of 4 lakh Maharashtra drivers suspended

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra has suspended over 3.8 lakh driving licenses (DLs) for traffic offences such as speeding and drunk driving while Haryana has issued around 2.15 lakh challans for not wearing helmets this year.

Delhi, which has the highest number of vehicles as well as road fatalities among cities, has reported less than one fourth of the license suspensions as compared to Maharashtra at just over 50,000. Rajasthan has reported the second highest number of challans issued for not wearing helmets.

The records have been submitted as a part of the affidavit filed by the road transport ministry to the Supreme Court detailing the steps that states have taken to reduce road crashes, injuries and fatalities. State governments were asked to provide details of the DLs suspended by them for five offences commonly committed by drivers, which often prove fatal. They are: speeding, drunk driving, jumping traffic signals, using mobile phones while driving and not wearing helmets and seatbelts.

Sources said some of the states have not provided exact numbers and have claimed that they are strictly enforcing the norms. "The Supreme Court appointed committee on road safety had issued a set of guidelinesWe are following up with all the states since enforcement of traffic laws is a state subject," a central government official said.