If you have a pending e-challan to pay, clear it soon, else you might end up paying a hefty penalty, or worse, face imprisonment as 17 trial courts will soon take up cases pertaining to unpaid e-challans against violators. As of now, there are almost 44 lakh such challans to be paid.
The Telangana government in a GO on May 16 has attached 17 new courts to the Traffic Police Department to tackle the pendency of e-challans, which stands at a staggering 43,96,823 as of Wednesday. “Previously, there were only two courts to deal with e-challans. But now there are more and violators will have to pay hefty fines and might face imprisonment depending on their cases,” said Jitender, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
Given the huge number of pending challans, the cases will be tackled in two ways, with the department compartmentalising it into two categories. Those whose vehicles have more number of unpaid e-challans, and others who have been issued challans for serious offences like using cell phone while driving, red-light jumping etc will face the axe first, said Mr. Jitender.
Other violators will be issued notices before they will be called to the trial courts. “We have already started issuing legal notices. And the compliance of paying their dues or pending fines has increased over the last few months,” said Mr. Jitender. He also mentioned that the traffic police have begun charge-sheeting the violators.
Traffic violators being chargesheeted:
“In the last two months, about 1,000 people have been charge-sheeted for traffic violations which endanger the lives of other commuters. High penalties are being levied against such people,” said Mr. Jitender, and added that compliance has increased in paying dues after the cashless enforcement was started in Hyderabad.
Under the cashless system, denizens caught violating traffic rules can pay fines through banks, post-offices, MeeSeva, e-seva centres, or make an online payment through their debit or credit card. As per the data from the Traffic Police Department, 2,86,550 challans were issued under this system till May 19. Out of that, 1,80,413 have been paid, while 1,06,137 are still unpaid.
Total number of pending e-challans: 43,96,823.
e-challans issued
2015 (till April 30) – 7,91,927
2014 – 15,71,723
2013 – 12,08,019
2012 – 12,04,705
Under Cashless Enforcement (from January 20 onwards till May 19)
Total challans issued: 2,86,550
Total challans paid for: 1,80,413
Total unpaid challans: 1,06,137
Challans paid through net banking: 29,233
Challans paid through debit/credit cards: 6,501
Challans paid through ICICI online (card): 25,796
Challans paid through e-seva: 4,64,939
Challans paid through Ap-Online: 2,04,443
