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Bhubaneswar is the largest city and the capital of the state of Odisha. It has a rich cultural heritage as is evident from the name “Temple City”. Apart from being a popular city destination, the city is emerging as a centre for information and healthcare technology.

Furthermore, as this city is getting ready to become a ‘smart city’ the necessity to ensure proper traffic circulation is far greater at present. According to a report in December 2022, 5081 people died from road accidents the previous year in Odisha. So, the state government has strictly enforced traffic fines in Bhubaneswar to make that number go down.

According to a report, the Bhubaneswar government started implementing new traffic fines in Bhubaneswar on 1^st September 2019. However, according to the report, they also announced a 3-month relaxation period for the public to get their papers ready before a strict implementation.

The initial deadline was November 30^th but after noticing a rush at RTOs, the government has extended the time limit further from November to February next year. However, to emphasise the necessity and to have the entire paperwork ready within the time limit, State Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera said that they will not provide further extensions.

The Transport Minister also added that the authority will take strict action against traffic rule violations that are dangerous and life-threatening such as speeding, drunken driving, wrong use of mobile phones while driving, driving against the flow of traffic, jumping red lights, overloading, not wearing protective gear, etc.

Have Traffic Fines Been Reduced in Bhubaneswar?

A report says that after the public became angry about the steep increase in Bhubaneswar traffic fines, the Odisha Government decided to follow the decision of Gujarat. It slashed the fine rates by 25% to 90% depending on the offence.

For example, according to an India Today report, the government announced a hefty penalisation of ₹7000 for overspeeding in Bhubaneswar. On Bhubaneswar roads, the marked maximum velocity is 50 km/h. Any driver exceeding that speed limit will face a penalty.

However, violators of the rule can pay only ₹2000 if they can produce their valid driving licences. It is noteworthy that, for the first 3 offences of overspeeding, the driving licence will be suspended for 3 months. For the 4^th offence, the licence would be cancelled.  To track down fast-moving vehicles Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) has installed Traffic Violation Detection System (TVDS) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) too. 

Important Points to Consider as a Citizen

Being a citizen, and a driver or an owner of a vehicle one has to follow some basic guidelines to avoid traffic fines in Bhubaneswar.

• The driver and the passengers should always wear seat belts and helmets (for two wheelers). This is crucial to protect yourself from any accident minor to major.
• Do not go beyond the recommended speed limit or weight limit. To say the least, it may generate traffic fines, but most importantly it may cause a fatal accident.
• Do not drink and drive. Be it alcohol or any other substance, it is a punishable offence.
• Always keep the mandatory documents on the vehicle. Otherwise, during a check, if you are found without a registration certificate, driving licence, or even insurance papers; the authority will penalise you.
• The use of mobile phones while riding a vehicle is also very dangerous. It creates a possibility for the rider to lose control.

Across India, different cities have different traffic situations. If citizens abide by the traffic rules it helps them to have a safer experience on the road. Traffic fines in Bhubaneswar stay active and effective to ensure safety.