State moves to link traffic violators’ bank accounts to e-challans to recover ₹2,429 crore

Despite many drives, the state government has been unable to recover the outstanding amount, resulting in the state transport department writing to the central government for permission to link the e-challans to the bank accounts of the motorists

MUMBAI: With a whopping outstanding e-challan amount of ₹2,429 crore due from 42.89 million traffic violators, the state government has written to the central government for permission to link outstanding challans with the bank accounts of motorists. In the last five years, the state government has been able to recover only 35% of the penalties levied through e-challans.

After e-challans came into existence in January 2019, over 7,53,36,224 motorists have been fined for traffic violations through e-challans by traffic policemen using handheld devices and CCTV networks.

After e-challans came into existence in January 2019, over 7,53,36,224 motorists have been fined for traffic violations through e-challans by traffic policemen using handheld devices and CCTV networks. The penalties levied amount to ₹3,768 crore across the state but motorists have paid only ₹1,339 crore or 35% of the outstanding amount until March 2024. E-challans are issued to motorists for over-speeding, lane-cutting and jumping signals among other violations.

Despite many drives, the state government has been unable to recover the outstanding amount, resulting in the state transport department writing to the central government for permission to link the e-challans to the bank accounts of the motorists. “The bank account linked to the Fastag and for payment of annual motor insurance will be linked with the outstanding e-challans,” said an official from the transport department. “This will enable us to recover the outstanding amount whenever the motorist attempts to top-up his Fastag or pay his vehicle insurance.”

The official added that since the Banking Act was a central government subject, the linking of the bank accounts needed its approval. “We have sent the proposal recently and expect a positive response from the centre,” he said.

Another officer from the state transport department said that most of the outstanding amount was from private car owners. “Recovery from public transport vehicles is easier and done during the annual renewal of their permits,” he said. “This is not possible in the case of private car owners.”

The officer added that the regular drives by the traffic police had failed to reap the expected results. “The police at the toll plazas regularly recover the outstanding amount by coordinating between two toll plazas once the outstanding amount is detected,” he said. “We have also been coordinating with insurance companies with instructions to not renew the policy until outstanding penalties are paid. Once the linking of the bank account is done, we expect to fully recover the fines.”

No e-challans on expressway till state polls

The recent Lok Sabha elections and the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections have put a halt to the issuance of 4 lakh challans with an estimated collective penalty amount of ₹40 crore on the 25-km ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune expressway. E-challans for traffic violations on this stretch were launched on March 12. “The surveillance camera-linked drive was launched to reduce the high rate of accidents due to overspeeding, lane-cutting and other violations,” said a senior officer from traffic police.

The officer added that the violators had not been issued challans owing to “instructions from the political leadership” to avoid unrest among citizens. The challans will be issued only after the assembly polls in October this year.