Rs 42,500 fine slapped for allowing minor to drive in Odisha

A motorcycle owner has been slapped with a fine amount of Rs 42,500 for allowing a minor to ride his motor bike violating traffic rules under new Motor Vehicles Act 2019 in Odisha's Bhadrak district, said an official on Saturday.

The minor hails from Nuapokhari village of Bhandaripokhari block in Bhadrak district.

A challan of Rs 42,500 was issued against the owner of the two-wheeler Narayan Behera of Nuapokhari area in the district, said an official.

Sources said the minor boy along with two persons was riding a motorcycle on Thursday when the officials of Bhadrak Regional Transport Office (RTO) stopped the motorcyclist and issued a challan against the juvenile as well as the vehicle owner.

As per the challan, a penalty of Rs 500 imposed for general offence, Rs 5,000 fine for allowing person to drive vehicle without valid/proper driving licence, Rs 5,000 for driving vehicle without valid driving license, Rs 5,000 for driving against flow of traffic, Rs 1,000 for riding more than two persons in two-wheeler, Rs 1,000 for riding without helmets by driver and pillion and Rs 25,000 under offences by Juveniles.

However, the State Transport Authority tweeted: "The vehicle owner/parent of minor boy driving vehicle have to pay penalty of 25 thousand, the boy won't get DL till he is 25 years."