Cops post ‘challans’ to errant vehicle owners

The Delhi traffic police have started sending notices to owners of new vehicles who are yet to install high-security number plates, Subhendu Ray reports.

The Delhi traffic police have started sending notices to owners of new vehicles who are yet to install high-security number plates.

HT Image

The police sent 12,000 such ‘challans’ by speed post to errant owners since Monday as part of the unique move.

“The transport department has given us the list of defaulters. According to the list, the owners of as many as 1.5 lakh vehicles bought after April 30, 2012, are yet to get high-security number plates installed,” Anil Shukla, additional commissioner of police (traffic), said.

Shukla said the drive started this week after the department issued a public notice. It will continue till the backlog is cleared.

The traffic police have been sending 3,000 challan notices every day, asking owners of the vehicles to deposit in court Rs. 2,000 as fine for the violation.

“If a vehicle owner gets the high-security number plate installed before receiving the notice, he can produce the necessary documents to avoid paying the fine,” a senior police officer said.

Sending notices to the errant vehicle owners is a more effective way to deal with those trying to escape paying fines, the officer said.

The traffic police have issued only about 2,500 on-spot challans to violators since January.

The Supreme Court had mandated the installation of the high-security number plates, saying they would enable the tracking of new vehicles. The high-security registration plates contain all required details of the vehicles and their owners.

Following the direction from the top court, the Delhi transport department had ordered that all new vehicles that were registered in Delhi after April 30, 2012, including commercial ones, get high security number plates.