In a major crackdown on traffic violations, the Ahmedabad Regional Transport Office (RTO) has suspended over 2,161 driving licenses and collected ₹10.98 crore in fines over the past 16 months. The action follows a sharp rise in reckless driving and traffic rule violations across the city.
According to a media report, between April 2024 and July 2025, the RTO launched stringent drives targeting over speeding, wrong-side driving, overloaded vehicles, expired fitness certificates, and fatal accidents. According to official data, the department also cancelled 284 licenses of drivers who were caught driving dangerously in other states but held Ahmedabad-issued licenses.
The crackdown comes amid mounting public concern and repeated urgings by the Gujarat High Court, which has criticized authorities for letting repeat offenders off with minor spot fines. The court has stressed the need for criminal action in serious cases, stating that deterrence — not leniency — is key to safer roads.
The RTO’s enforcement has also extended to school transport vehicles. In a recent drive, 280 cases were filed against school vans and rickshaws for violations ranging from expired documents to dangerously overcrowded vehicles. Twenty-seven vehicles were seized, and fines worth ₹3.80 lakh were imposed.
Concerns remain high as schoolchildren continue to be ferried in unfit and overloaded vehicles, endangering young lives daily.
Meanwhile, incidents involving rogue shuttle rickshaw drivers have increased, especially around key transit points like Kalupur Railway Station and Ranip Bus Stand. Newcomers to the city have reported being harassed, robbed, or abandoned mid-journey. A police directive requiring rickshaw drivers to display their names and addresses inside vehicles has been largely ignored.
With a surge in fatal accidents, hit-and-runs, and road-related crimes, the Ahmedabad RTO’s ongoing crackdown sends a clear message: reckless driving and rule violations will be met with heavy penalties — from license suspension to criminal charges.