Bhubaneswar: Good news for commuters protesting against hefty challans under Motor Vehicle Act, as they have additional 3 months time in hand to get their vehicle documents ready.

In view of resentment among public reported from some parts of the state after enforcement of revised MV Act in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today made partial relaxation for the commuters from paying fine for violation of traffic rules.

He directed the officials to handle the situation softly instead of going aggressive with commuters, who fail to produce necessary documents before the transport and police authorities during frisking and driving the vehicles without obeying minimum traffic rules.

"The CM has directed the enforcement agencies not to aggressively go on an overdrive but rather counsel and handhold the public to facilitate compliance with the amended provisions of MV Act," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a release.

Patnaik asked the Transport Department to augment public services, strengthen the facilitation centres, open extra counters, conduct camps in public institutions to enable the motor vehicle users to update their compliance status.

"This process will continue over the next 3 months so that adequate time is made available to the public to ensure compliance, Massive Road Safety awareness campaign will be carried out to sensitise public on the new norms," the release stated.

The CM also appealed to all motor vehicle users to obey traffic rules and desist from dangerous driving which will endanger their lives and that of others.