SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police have intensified enforcement of traffic laws across the Union Territory, suspending 469 driving licences and cancelling or disqualifying 419 others over repeated and serious violations, officials said.
The action followed a sustained enforcement drive conducted jointly by the Motor Vehicles Department and Traffic Police in Jammu and Srinagar. Officials said over 1,000 licence holders were identified for habitual violations during extensive checks carried out over the past few weeks under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Senior Traffic Police officer Mansoor Ahmad said the inspections focused on offences such as overspeeding, reckless driving, riding without helmets, non-use of seat belts, use of mobile phones while driving, wrong-side driving, underage driving and driving without valid documents.
“Several commercial vehicles, smart city vehicles and school buses were also checked. Vehicles found violating safety norms were barred from operation until full compliance was ensured,” he said.
As part of the drive, authorities have begun invoking stringent legal provisions against parents and vehicle owners who allow minors to drive. In Doda district, police booked a father after his minor son, while driving a car, injured a pedestrian. The vehicle was seized and a case registered against the father for permitting underage driving.
In another case in Srinagar on December 6, a traffic court convicted a father for allowing his minor daughter to drive. The court cancelled the vehicle’s registration for one year and held the guardian responsible under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act. The accused was sentenced to three years’ simple imprisonment, fined Rs 25,000 and directed to furnish a bond of Rs 2 lakh for good behaviour for two years.
The enforcement push comes amid a rise in road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir. In recent weeks, a school bus overturned near Jammu, injuring several students, while multiple passengers were hurt in accidents along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Hilly districts such as Ramban and Kishtwar have also witnessed fatal mishaps involving vehicles skidding off roads and plunging into deep gorges.
Traffic officials said winter conditions further aggravate road safety risks due to fog, poor visibility and icy patches, particularly on highways and mountain roads. Overspeeding, helmetless riding, non-use of seat belts, wrong-side driving, overloading and underage driving remain the most common violations.
Transport department officials said repeated violations often lead to licence suspension or cancellation, while serious offences invite prosecution. Enforcement drives, they said, will continue across the Union Territory, especially during the winter months, along with awareness campaigns targeting drivers, students and parents.
“Traffic rules are meant to save lives. Allowing minors to drive is not only illegal but extremely dangerous,” officials said.
