Delhi Police has asked traffic police units not to issue Covid challans and has instead decided to deploy dedicated teams from each police station to prosecute people violating social distancing norms, said officials. Police said the teams will be sent to a specific location to collect fines from 10 am to 6 pm every day.
DCP (Headquarters), Chinmoy Biswal, issued an order saying the Traffic unit will no longer collect fines from people for not wearing masks, spitting in public or violating social distancing. Other district police personnel who work in patrolling teams or pickets have also been ordered to “concentrate on the primary job” and not prosecute people for Covid-19 violations.
Instead, Covid-related challans will only be collected by the specific teams in each district.
“In view of the spread of coronavirus in Delhi, each police station shall detail one team consisting of an upper subordinate and a lower subordinate to report to one location… and prosecute persons who violate protocols…,” the order said.
A senior police officer said, “Since most of the businesses, institutions and public transport, such as Metro, are reopening, we will have to maintain law and order as well as keep an eye on Covid spread in the city. Other police personnel will get back to their duty and only dedicated teams will look out for violation of Covid norms.” Earlier, the Traffic police collected fines from people who violated social distancing norms. Till date, 28 lakh challans have been issued in Delhi for not wearing masks and over Rs 13 crore has been collected as fines, said the police.
