Bengaluru: The official Toyota Fortuner car used by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been flagged for seven traffic violations since January 2024, according to data from the city’s Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS). Traffic police officials confirmed that the accumulated fines for these violations have now been paid.
Six violations for seat belt rule breach
Of the seven violations, six were for failing to wear a seat belt while travelling in the front seat of the vehicle. The infractions were captured at multiple key junctions across Bengaluru.
The first instance was recorded on January 24 near Leela Palace junction on Old Airport Road. Subsequent violations occurred at the same junction in February and August, at Chandrika Hotel junction in March, and at Sivananda Circle and Dr Rajkumar junction in August.
As per traffic police records, fines for these offences totalled Rs 2,500 after applying the state government’s recent 50 per cent discount on penalties.
One speeding case recorded
In addition to the seat belt offences, the CM’s official vehicle was also caught overspeeding on July 9 along the Kempegowda International Airport Express Corridor. ITMS cameras registered the violation, and the fine has since been cleared.
Traffic police confirm payment
A senior official from the Bengaluru traffic police department confirmed that the pending dues against the CM’s vehicle have been fully settled. “The fines imposed on the Chief Minister’s vehicle were paid after being generated through the ITMS system,” the officer said.
Wider spotlight on VIP traffic violations
The incident comes against the backdrop of increased public scrutiny of traffic violations by VIPs and elected representatives. In recent months, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s two-wheeler was also found to have pending fines amounting to Rs 18,500 before they were cleared.
With ITMS cameras now active across major junctions in Bengaluru, traffic rule violations are being automatically tracked and penalised, regardless of vehicle ownership. Officials have stressed that enforcement remains uniform, whether the violator is a common citizen or a public office holder.
Conclusion
The violations involving the CM’s vehicle underline the growing role of automated traffic monitoring in Bengaluru. While fines have been paid, the repeated seat belt offences highlight the need for stricter adherence to road safety norms, especially by public figures.