Kochi Traffic Fines & Rules: List, Penalties

With a population estimated to be around 35 lakh, Kochi was and continues to be one of India’s most important port cities. A part of the Ernakulam District, Kochi being a geographically strategic location is one of the fastest-growing cities in India. Hailed as the headquarters of India’s Southern Naval Command, and the only city in Kerala to have three railway stations, Kochi despite its robust infrastructure still struggles with traffic snarls, rising traffic violations and congested roads, which the port city deals with through technology and on-field policing alike. With a comprehensive traffic management system in place, Kochi Traffic Police does its best to ensure an efficient flow of vehicular movement in and around the city.

With Kochi being home to several industries, corporate offices, schools, colleges, government offices etc. traffic management is a crucial aspect of the City’s efficient everyday functioning. With traffic violations constantly on the rise, the lack of awareness about traffic rules is becoming a cause of concern for Kochi Traffic Police. From improper parking to blackened mirrors, there are various traffic rules that one must be conscious of to drive safely in and around Kochi. Therefore in this article, we have compiled a brief list of common traffic fines, rules and challans so that you know what not to do the next time you are on the road.

Kochi Traffic Rules and Fines: The Governing Statute

The Motor Vehicle Act 1988 is the central legislation that governs every aspect of road transport including traffic violations. In terms of jurisdiction, the Motor Vehicle Act, being a central legislation, equally applies to every state across India including Kochi and the rest of Kerala. In 2019, the Motor Vehicle Act was amended by the central government, enhancing the penalties for almost every offence in a bid to further strengthen the enforcement of the act as well as to reduce traffic violations and fatal accidents across the nation. Traffic regulations, challans, rules, regulations and penalties under the Motor Vehicle Act can be categorised into several heads based on offences related to vehicle maintenance, driving, documentation etc.  

Traffic Violations Related to Driving

Kochi as a city is at the forefront when it comes to the adoption of digital traffic management systems. With the use of the latest technologies such as Over Speed Violation Detection (OSVD) Cameras, Optical Character Recognition, Automatic Number Plate Recognition Systems, and the good old on-field policing system, Kochi has managed to digitise traffic management rather well. As per recent data published by the Press Information Bureau, from 2019 to 2023, Kerala Traffic Police issued the third highest number (1.8 Crore) of e-challans, collecting over 690 crores in fines. With a rise in traffic challans each year, traffic violations are strictly Governed and heavily penalised in Kochi. Therefore it is important to know the list of common driving-related violations that are commonly penalised in Kochi as per the Motor Vehicle Act.

Dangerous Driving

Governed under Section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving a motor vehicle at high speed or in any manner that is dangerous to the public including the offence of red-light jumping, use of mobile while driving, stop-sign traffic violation, unlawful overtake, wrong side driving will constitute an offence of dangerous driving which is punished with:

• Imprisonment for a term not less than 6 months but which may extend to 1 year (for the first offence) or
• With a fine not less than Rs. 1,000 but which may extend to Rs. 5,000 (for the first offence) or
• With Both (for the first offence)
• Imprisonment that may extend to 2 years (for the second/subsequent offence within 3 years of the first offence) or 
• With a fine that may extend to Rs. 10,000 (for the second/subsequent offence within 3 years of the first offence) or
• With Both (for the second/subsequent offence within 3 years of the first offence)
• In addition to the penalty and fine, the offender may also be liable to render community service.

Drunk Driving

Governed under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving under the influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs constitutes the offence of Drunk Driving which is a strict offence that entails a penalty of:

• Imprisonment of up to 6 months (for the first offence) or 
• With a fine of Rs. 10,000 (for the first offence) or
• With Both (for the first offence)
• Imprisonment of up to 2 Years (f(for the second/subsequent offence) or 
• With a fine of Rs. 10,000 ((for the second/subsequent offence) or
• With Both (for the second/subsequent offence)

As one of India’s most strategic port cities, Kochi’s nightlife bustles with a large variety of restaurants, clubs, pubs, lounges, farmhouses, banquets etc. that thrive all year round, especially during the weekends. The result however is a sharp rise in drink-and-drive cases which are growing to become a major cause of fatal accidents and mishaps. Therefore it is always advised to hire a cab whenever there is alcohol involved. 

Overspeeding

Governed under Section 183 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving or causing a motor vehicle to be driving at speeds exceeding the requisite speed limit is an act of overspeeding which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 1,000 to 2,000 in the case of Light Motor Vehicles for the first offence
• A fine of Rs. 2,000 to 4,000 in the case of Medium/Heavy Goods Vehicle or Medium/Heavy Passenger Vehicle for the first offence
• Impounding of License for the second and every subsequent offence 
• In addition to the penalty and fine, the offender may also be liable to render community service which was a step added in 2019 to instill a sense of community responsibility in offenders.

Driving with Excess Passenger

Governed under Section 194A of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving with more passengers than what the registration certificate of the vehicle specifies constitutes the offence of driving with Excess Passengers which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 200 for every excess passenger

Driving Without a Seat Belt

Governed under Section 194B of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving without wearing a seat belt constitutes the offence of driving without a seat belt which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 1,000.

As per recent data published the Kochi Traffic Department issued over 32 lakh challans in just 6 months after the installation of an AI-infused traffic monitoring system with over 700 cameras. What’s interesting is the fact that out of these 32 lakh challans, 18.22 lakh were issued for seat belt violations alone!

Driving in Excess of Permissible Weight Limit

Governed under Section 194 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving a motor vehicle or causing it to be driven with weight exceeding the permissible weight limit constitutes the offence of driving over the permissible weight limit which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 20,000 along with
• A fine of Rs. 2,000 per tonne of excess load

Failure to Give Way to Emergency Vehicles

Governed under Section 194E of the Motor Vehicle Act, whoever fails to give way to an emergency vehicle such as a fire brigade or an ambulance etc. by drawing their motor vehicle to the side of the road constitutes the offence of failure to give way to an emergency vehicle which is punished with:

• Imprisonment of up to 6 months or
• A fine of Rs. 10,000 or
• Both

Violating Traffic Rules

Governed under Section 177A of the Motor Vehicle Act, traffic violation of any road regulation shall constitute an offence of volition traffic rules which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 500 to 1,000

A weapon to tackle almost every traffic violation that does not find a specific mention, Section 177A is often used by traffic personnel to challan offences like improper number plates, improper parking, defective headlights etc.

Traffic Violations Related to Documentation

When it comes to a safe drive, following traffic rules isn’t enough. The possession of all legal documents, permits, licenses, insurance etc is a crucial aspect when it comes to driving lawfully on public roads. Any traffic violation related to the possession of such documents is also an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act attracting various penalties. Therefore it is crucial to know the repercussions of not possessing relevant documents while driving and a list of related challenges that might follow:

Using a Vehicle without Registration

Governed under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving a motor vehicle without registration constitutes an offence of using a vehicle without registration which is punished with

• A fine of Rs. 2,000 to 5,000 (for the first offence)
• A fine of Rs. 5,000 to 10,000 (for the second/subsequent offence) or
• Imprisonment of up to 1 year (for the second/subsequent offence) or 
• With Both (for the second/subsequent offence) 

Using a Vehicle without a Permit

Governed under Section 192A of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving a motor vehicle without a valid and requisite permit constitutes an offence of using a vehicle without a permit which is punished with

• Imprisonment of up to 6 months (for the first offence) or
• A fine of Rs. 10,000 (for the first offence)
• Imprisonment of 6 months which may extend to up to 1 year (for the second/subsequent offence) or
• A fine of Rs. 10,000 (for the second/subsequent offence) or
• With Both (for the second/subsequent offence) 

Driving without a Valid Driving License

Governed under Section 181 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving without a valid driving license, or underage driving in contravention of the driving license requirements constitutes ano fence of driving without a License which is punished with:

• Imprisonment of up to 3 months or
• A Fine of Rs. 5,000 or 
• Both
• In addition to the penalty and fine, the offender may also be liable to render community service.

Driving Uninsured Vehicle

Governed under Section 196 of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving a motor vehicle without a valid insurance certificate constitutes an offence of using a vehicle without insurance which is punished with:

• Imprisonment of up to 3 months (for the first offence) or
• A fine of Rs. 2,000 (for the first offence) or
• With Both (for the first offence)
• Imprisonment of up to 3 months (for the second/subsequent offence) or
• A fine of Rs. 4,000 (for the second/subsequent offence) or
• With Both (for the second/subsequent offence) 

Driving Without a Valid Pollution Certificate

Governed under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act, driving without a valid pollution certificate constitutes an offence of driving without a valid PUC which is punished with:

• A fine of Rs. 1,000 (for the first offence) or
• A fine of Rs. 2,000 (for the second/subsequent offence)

How to Check and Pay Traffic Challan in Kochi

With the use of technologies such as OSVD Cameras, Traffic Violation Detection Cameras, Speed Guns, Interceptors etc traffic violation detection and challan issuance has increased manifolds with a majority of challans in Kochi now being issued virtually. Therefore it is also important to know how to check for a virtual challan online. Here are the steps to check the virtual challan in Kochi:

• Step 1: Visit the official M-Parivahan website.
• Step 2: Choose the e-Challan System 
• Step 3: Click on ‘Get Challan Details’
• Step 4: Pick the most suited option to get challan details for your vehicle. You can choose between Vehicle Number, DL Number or Challan Number to get all the challan details.
• Step 5: Depending upon the selected option, enter the details and click ‘Get Detail’
• Step 6: The details of all your issued and pending challan will be shown. Verify all information and click ‘Pay Now’.
• Step 7: Select your preferred payment option to make the payment.
• Step 8: Upon completion of the payment, an acknowledgement will be provided with the transaction ID for future reference.

FAQ’s