Nagpur: Though the Parliament has passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill and notified on hike in fines for traffic violations beginning September 1, Orange City’s record of paying up traffic challans even under the old regime are not encouraging as traffic violators of Nagpur owes the City Traffic Department fines of over Rs 3.51 crore. Interestingly, the fine is just between the period of February 8 and September 11, this year.
Exchequer worth Rs 4.72 cr has been recovered, but Rs 3.51 cr is still outstanding.
Following the ambitious move of e-challans under ‘One State One Challan’ movement which was implemented in the city back in February, the statistics fetched from City Traffic Department revealed that the department had issued total 2,48,473 challans worth Rs 8,23,46,701 across the 10 zones viz, Ajni, Cotton Market, Indora, Kamptee, Lakadganj, MIDC, Sadar, Sakkardara, Sitabuldi, and Sonegoan. Traffic Department has already raised exchequer for the state by recovering Rs 4,72,08,351 from 1,74,189 challans. However, fine worth Rs 3,51,38,350 is in debt on commuters in terms of pending 74,284 challans. Such figures have clearly put the smart citizens of the smart city in contrast.
62,385 challans more than last year
Between January 1 and September 10, 2019, the Traffic Department has issued total 2,25,466 challans (worth Rs 5,98,56,000) i.e. comparatively 62,385 challans (worth Rs 1,02,36,700) more, than that for the exact same period compared to last year. The department had issued total 1,63,081 challans (worth Rs 4,96,19300) between January 1 and September 10, 2018. Not to mentioned fines collected until August 31 is under the old Motor Vehicle Act, as the state is to amend the Act in line with the Centre owing to upcoming Vidhan Sabha Polls.
Install ‘MahaTrafficapp’ for updates on challans: Traffic Department
As the challan issued by the COC takes time to reach the violator’s hand via post, the debt is ultimately on the rise. Following which the Traffic Department has started calling traffic violators and directed zonal traffic officers to collected fine by paying the violators’ home a visit. To avoid any uncertainty and to derive information about challans, the Traffic Department has urged citizens to install ‘MahaTrafficapp’.
– By Shubham Nagdeve
