Ahmedabad, Aug 4 (IANS) Ahmedabad Regional Transport Office (RTO) has suspended over 2,161 driving licenses and collected fines amounting to Rs 10.98 crore over the past 16 months in response to a surge in reckless and illegal driving practices across the city.

With roads turning dangerous due to overspeeding, wrong-side driving, and blatant disregard for traffic laws, the RTO’s action signals a tougher stance on road safety.

From April 2024 to July 2025, the department initiated stringent action against a wide range of violations — wrong-side driving, overspeeding, overloaded vehicles, expired fitness certificates, and even fatal accidents, as per data issued.

Notably, the Ahmedabad RTO also cancelled the licenses of 284 drivers who were caught driving dangerously in other states but held licenses issued in Ahmedabad.

This move comes amid growing public concern and repeated nudges from the Gujarat High Court, which has criticised local authorities for allowing habitual offenders to walk free after paying spot fines.

The court has urged the police to initiate criminal proceedings in serious cases, stressing that fear of the law — not leniency — can bring behavioral change on the roads.

Beyond private vehicle users, the RTO also turned its focus to school vans and rickshaws.

In a recent drive, 280 cases were registered against school transport vehicles flouting safety norms — ranging from expired licenses and unfit vehicles to dangerously overloaded rickshaws. Twenty-seven vehicles were seized, and Rs 3.80 lakh in fines were collected.

The situation is particularly concerning as schoolchildren continue to be ferried in vehicles that are barely roadworthy, putting young lives at risk every day.

Adding to the chaos, Ahmedabad has seen a worrying rise in crimes involving shuttle rickshaws.

Passengers — particularly those new to the city — have reported being threatened, robbed, and abandoned mid-journey by rogue rickshaw drivers operating illegally from transit hubs like Kalupur Railway Station and Ranip Bus Stand.

A directive by the Police Commissioner requiring drivers’ names and addresses to be displayed inside rickshaws has largely gone ignored.

As the number of hit-and-runs, fatal crashes, and road crimes rises, the Ahmedabad RTO’s recent actions appear to be a strong message — reckless driving is no longer being tolerated. Offenders now face license suspension, steep fines, and criminal charges.

–IANS

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