Kochi’s Motor Vehicles Department has registered 122 cases and imposed fines totalling Rs 1,84,750 during a special traffic enforcement drive against illegal parking and unlawful vehicle modifications, according to a report by Kerala Kaumudi. The inspections were conducted in Aluva, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Kakkanad, with further checks expected in the coming days.
The drive focused on violations that affect the use and safety of urban roads, including unauthorised roadside parking, vehicle lighting that obstructs visibility, horns that create noise pollution and other illegal alterations to vehicles. The action brings parking discipline and vehicle compliance together as part of a single enforcement operation across several parts of the Kochi urban region.
The Motor Vehicles Department’s action covered roadside parking that was classified as unauthorised. Such parking can occupy road space outside designated areas and interfere with the movement of other vehicles. The report did not provide a location-wise breakdown of the 122 cases or specify how many cases related to each type of violation.
Officials also acted against vehicles fitted with intensely bright lights that can obstruct the vision of other road users. The enforcement drive included checks on horns that cause noise pollution, making vehicle equipment and its impact on the surrounding streets part of the inspection. The department also proceeded against illegal modifications that alter the approved form or equipment of vehicles.
The inspections extended across Aluva, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Kakkanad, areas with different patterns of movement and road use within the wider Kochi region. The locations named in the report indicate that the enforcement was not limited to a single road or neighbourhood. However, the available report does not specify the number of vehicles inspected, the individual penalties imposed in each case or whether any vehicles were detained.
The combined fine of Rs 1,84,750 was imposed in connection with the 122 registered cases. This places the reported average fine at approximately Rs 1,514 per case, although the actual amounts would have varied depending on the violation and the applicable provisions. The report does not identify the statutory sections applied in the cases.
The enforcement action also highlights the role of the Motor Vehicles Department in regulating how vehicles are used on city streets, beyond registration and licensing functions. Parking, vehicle visibility, noise and modifications can affect other road users and the broader street environment, making compliance a routine urban administration concern.
The Regional Transport Officer said inspections would continue in the coming days. The department’s next round of checks is therefore expected to maintain the focus on illegal parking, vehicle modifications, excessive lighting and noise-producing horns across the Kochi-area locations covered by the drive.
