Delhi govt to introduce one-time amnesty scheme for traffic challans

The Delhi government plans to offer a 2-3 month period for violators to settle reduced fines, following discussions at a high-level transport department meeting

The Delhi government is set to introduce a one-time amnesty scheme for vehicle owners, offering a waiver of 50 to 70 per cent on outstanding traffic challans, according to a report by The Times of India. Violators are likely to be provided a two to three-month window to pay the reduced fines. A transport department official said the proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting. Expected to be rolled out in the coming months, the scheme is designed to tackle the large backlog of unpaid challans.

 

Citing an official, the report said it would be a one-time relaxation for vehicle owners, and that people should treat it as an opportunity to clear their dues, as stricter penalties, such as registration cancellation, could follow.

 

 

One-time amnesty scheme for traffic challans

 

Another senior official told the newspaper that the idea was to clear long-pending challans to reduce court caseloads and improve compliance.

 

The scheme will reportedly cover both traffic and transport challans. The transport department issues challans for violations such as expired pollution under control certificates (PUCC), wrong-side driving, and overloading, while traffic police handle offences including helmetless riding, red-light jumping, and speeding.

 

Only non-serious violations will be eligible under the amnesty. Drunk driving, unauthorised driving, driving without a valid licence, and other serious offences will not be covered by the scheme.

 

Most common parking violations in Delhi

 

-Obstructive parking tops the list: 419,230 challans

 

-Driving without a licence: Over 200,000 challans

 

-No Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate: 373,197 challans

 

-Helmetless two-wheeler riders: 259,123 challans

 

Enforcing traffic discipline

 

Traffic police and transport department enforcement teams often use an application to record violations directly on their phones. A text notice is then sent to the violator’s registered phone, informing them of the infraction, and the fine can be paid online via the designated website.

 

Despite this, many violators delay payments, preferring to wait for Lok Adalat sessions where fines are frequently reduced. Additionally, the absence of interest or penalties on late payments discourages prompt compliance.