The Pune city traffic police have impounded 44 vehicles in its latest drive against owners who have failed to pay over 50 traffic violation fines, according to officials. Over 21 vehicles have been found to have over 100 traffic offences each with fines pending against them since June 1, 2021 till July 25, 2024.
At least 968 vehicles have been found to have accumulated traffic fines in the category of 50-99 pending challans each for the corresponding period, officials added.
Traffic branch officials said the aggregate fine for 989 vehicles stands at ₹3.18 crore. As per traffic police data, between January 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, 2.50 lakh traffic violators have not paid the fines.
Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said that vehicle owners will be tracked down to ensure fines are paid while failure to settle dues will result in seizure of vehicles.
“There are 21 vehicles having over 100 traffic challans pending while there are 988 vehicles having 50 to 99 pending traffic challans,” said Kumar.
Most of these vehicles, according to senior officials from traffic branch, are two-wheelers found to be used in digital surveillance through network of CCTV cameras and used by different online food delivery platforms.
The police found details of such vehicles from Parivahan online and the riders confessed to the violations.
{{/usCountry}}The police found details of such vehicles from Parivahan online and the riders confessed to the violations.
{{/usCountry}}Additional commissioner of police Manoj Patil handling the city traffic portfolio said each traffic division has been entrusted with the responsibility of nabbing traffic violators.
“Besides impounding vehicles, we will initiate cancellation of licence of private vehicles while assistance of RTO has been sought to act against commercial vehicles,” he said.
The Pune police have since 2018 started monitoring traffic through a network of over 1400 CCTVs installed at various locations in the city. During the detection drive this year, the traffic police found that there were a whopping 154 cases of unpaid fines amounting to a fine of ₹1.21 lakh against one two-wheeler.
According to officials, for four-wheelers with tourist or commercial number plates, any vehicle with more than 50 unpaid fines will be targeted with strict action.