Traffic police are in for a tough resistance from vehicle drivers, particularly auto drivers, on issues pertaining to e-challan system in the city. Auto drivers are appealing the police to cancel the system. In an attempt to prevent thefts, maintain smooth vehicular movement and curb accidents, the city police re-introduced the e-challan system. As part of it, the traffic police are clicking images of traffic rule violators with the digital cameras provided to them, apart from checking whether the drivers have valid driving license, registration of the vehicles, insurance and pollution certificates, drunken driving, cellphone driving, wrong parking and negligent driving.
“Chain snatching and trickster gangs are using stolen vehicles for committing the offences. Many bike theft cases are being reported and the criminals are abandoning the vehicles at some places after committing the thefts,” said a police officer. At a meeting held on traffic problems recently, auto drivers appealed City Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao to cancel e-challan system, saying that it had become a burden for them.
“Police are imposing penalties of Rs. 500 and above through e-challan system, which is higher than the average earning of an auto driver who has to also pay rent for the vehicle and bear fuel charges too,” Satyanarayana, said an auto driver, said.
Recently, a team of MLAs met the Police Commissioner and reportedly sought cancellation of the system. However, the Police Commissioner is understood to have told them that there was no question of scrapping the system which had been introduced to inculcate discipline among drivers.
“e-challan system will not create traffic jams, rather it helps prevent road accidents. After traffic police click photographs of violators, challan will be sent to the latter’s residence and he has to pay the amount. We have registered around 2,000 traffic violation cases in the last 15 days,” said Mr. Venkateswara Rao.
Police are imposing penalties of Rs. 500 and above, which is higher than the average earning of an auto driver
Satyanarayana,an auto driver
