In Mumbai, the state government’s effort to recover ₹2,429 crore in unpaid e-challans from 42.89 million traffic violators involves a proposal to link offenders’ bank accounts with outstanding fines. Despite imposing penalties totaling ₹3,768 crore since January 2019 through e-challans, only ₹1,339 crore has been collected, reflecting a 35% recovery rate as of March 2024. E-challans are issued for various infractions like over-speeding and signal violations, affecting over 7.5 million motorists monitored via handheld devices and CCTV networks.
The state’s transport department aims to link these fines to motorists’ bank accounts associated with Fastags and vehicle insurance payments, pending approval from the central government, which oversees banking regulations. Recovery efforts have been particularly challenging with private car owners, compared to public transport vehicles, despite enforcement efforts and collaborations with insurance companies and toll plazas.
The recent halt in issuing 4 lakh challans on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, amounting to an estimated ₹40 crore in penalties, during election periods highlights broader regulatory challenges amid political directives.