In a move aimed at easing the financial burden on commuters and encouraging timely payment of traffic fines, the Delhi government has announced a 50% discount on traffic challan fines. This reduction applies if the fine is paid within 90 days of the challan notification or within 30 days of the issuance of new challans following the implementation of this rule.
The new order has been drafted and is awaiting approval from the Lieutenant Governor. It will apply to specific offenses under the Motor Vehicles Act, according to reports.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot stated that the initiative aims to streamline the process for paying traffic fines and reduce the incidence of long legal disputes. By incentivizing prompt payment, the government hopes to alleviate the pressure on both the judiciary and the transport department.
This decision comes in response to a significant backlog of unpaid challans. The Transport Department recently highlighted that a substantial portion of challans, including those issued during the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) last year, remain unpaid. In fact, over 75% of the challans from GRAP have not been settled. The department also noted a rise in the number of challans issued in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The introduction of the discount is intended to address these issues by making it easier for people to pay their fines and reducing the administrative burden on the transport system.
