UT traffic cops struggle with over 7.5 lakh unpaid challans of 2024

Chandigarh: The UT police failed to collect fines for 7,53,932 challans issued last year. As per data, the police issued a total of 10,15,518 challans for 121 different traffic violations through CCTV cameras installed under the smart city project, manually, and from pictures of violations uploaded on the social media page of the traffic police. Out of these, only 2,61,586 challans were paid by the violators. The traffic police earned a total of Rs 22,78,43,950 from the fines paid by the violators last year.
The Chandigarh traffic police department supplied this information under the RTI, which was filed by the social activist R K Garg.
As per the routine, after issuing challans, traffic police inform the violators about the same through SMS. If people don't receive SMS, they can check the challans pending against them on Chandigarh police's official website. People can also pay their fines at traffic police lines in Sector 29, and people can also reach courts and Lok Adalats to pay fines for their traffic challans.
Traffic police data reveals that a maximum of 4.90 lakh challans were issued to motorists for jumping red lights or dangerous driving between Jan 1, 2024, and Dec 25, 2024. After red light violations, the maximum number of motorists were challaned for driving beyond permissible speed limits in the city. The traffic police issued a total of 1,15,625 challans for overspeeding in the city.
As many as 1,08,393 slips were issued for violating stop and zebra lines at different traffic light points in the city. Police also issued 2,750 challans to heavy vehicles like trucks and buses for driving at high speed in the city.
The traffic police wing issued more than 50,000 challans to women drivers and pillion riders for not wearing helmets on two-wheelers. Data shows police challaned 44,564 females for not wearing headgear while riding on a two-wheeler as a pillion in the city. Besides, 6,870 women were challaned for not wearing helmets while driving two-wheelers in the city. Although only 19,693 men were caught driving two-wheelers without headgear, 12,264 male pillion riders were found without wearing helmets on two-wheelers. Police also issued 2,356 challans for triple riding on wheelers.
Traffic cops also issued 25,512 challans to auto rickshaws, taxis, and buses for carrying more passengers than authorised in permit or registration certificates. The traffic police also issued a total of 23,034 challans for wrong parking in different parts of the city. Police also issued a total of 5,902 challans for not wearing seat belts in cars. Besides, 6,323 car drivers were issued challan slips for applying black films on the windscreens of vehicles. Police also challaned 8,167 motorists for driving vehicles without fixing prescribed reflex reflectors on their vehicles.
Social activist R K Garg said the police issued more than 10 lakh challans under 121 various violations; however, only 75 types of traffic violations are mentioned on their official website. It seems that the Chandigarh traffic police created some violations on their own.
It is worth noting that the city has more than 2,000 CCTV cameras installed at various traffic junctions under the Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC), which was inaugurated by Union home minister Amit Shah on March 27, 2022, as part of the smart city project.
Month-Wise No. Of Challans
Jan: 79,726
Feb: 80,887
March: 87,279
April: 88,039
May: 85,945
June: 87,095
July: 80,373
Aug: 76,948
Sep: 84,797
Oct: 91,840
Nov: 92,862
Dec: 79,727
Total: 10,15,518
Pending: 7,53,932