Haven't Cleared Your Pending Traffic Challans? Your Licence May Be Suspended From April 1
New traffic regulations enforce stricter penalties for unpaid fines, including a three-month license suspension. The new traffic rules are aimed to improve low e-challan recovery rates in Delhi and other states
With the start of the new financial year, stricter traffic regulations have come into force, putting drivers with outstanding fines on notice. Authorities have warned that failure to clear pending dues could lead to severe penalties, including the confiscation of driving licences.
Under the new rules, driving licences can be suspended for three months if e-challans remain unpaid for over three months. Additionally, accumulating three challans for red light violations or reckless driving within a financial year could also lead to a three-month licence suspension.
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This crackdown is driven by the government’s concern over low recovery rates of e-challans, with only 40 per cent of fines collected. To further enforce compliance, the government is considering higher insurance premiums for vehicle owners with at least two pending challans from the previous financial year.
Recognising that some fines may be unpaid due to late notifications or errors, the government plans to implement a comprehensive standard operating procedure. This will include minimum specifications for traffic cameras and monthly alerts to vehicle owners about outstanding fines.
Delhi currently has the lowest recovery rate for challans at 14 per cent, followed by Karnataka at 21 per cent, and Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh at 27 per cent. In contrast, Maharashtra and Haryana lead with recovery rates of 62 and 76 per cent, respectively.
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