Nagpur Traffic Police Struggle to Recover ₹150 Crore in Pending Fines
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Nagpur, India: Traffic violations in Nagpur have reached alarming levels, with unpaid fines exceeding ₹150 crore. Despite efforts by the Police Department, less than 20% of fines are paid each year, leaving the bulk unpaid and forcing the police to seek court intervention for recovery.
Common violations include not wearing helmets, skipping seat belts, signal jumping, drunk driving, and driving on the wrong side. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Archit Chandak expressed concern over the public’s apathy toward safety rules. “It’s troubling that we need to impose fines for basic safety measures like helmets and seat belts. People should prioritize their safety,” he said.
The police conduct periodic drives to recover fines, but the amounts recovered are minimal. There is no straightforward process for cancelling licenses after repeated violations. “The RTO can cancel a license after one challan, but the proposal must come from the police and be justified. The process is complicated,” explained State Transport Commissioner Sanjay Bhimanwar.
Nagpur ranks fourth in Maharashtra for traffic violations, following Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Overall, traffic violations in the state have risen by 61%, while fine collections have dropped by 9%.
To address the issue, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation is introducing an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS). This system will use CCTV cameras to identify violations and issue e-challans automatically.
In a bid to improve fine recovery, the Maharashtra Government has proposed linking unpaid e-challans to the bank accounts of violators. The proposal aims to recover over ₹2,000 crore in fines from around 40 million violators across the state. If approved by the Central Government, the system will deduct fines directly from violators’ accounts, leaving no room for disputes.
DCP Chandak urged citizens to follow traffic rules voluntarily. “We are less focused on recovering fines and more on encouraging people to develop traffic sense and prioritize safety,” he said. While technology and stricter enforcement may help, the success of these measures depends on public cooperation.
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