How Mobile Apps Are Empowering Citizens To Track And Clear Traffic Fines

The traffic management system in India is undergoing a revolutionary shift towards digitisation, driven by systems such as e-challan and HTMS. People now receive e-challans for traffic violations directly on their phones and can pay them immediately using various apps and websites.

Read more to know about various apps and websites you can use to check and pay your echallan online, along with the steps and benefits of paying it. 

How does the E-Challan System Help to Digitise Traffic Fines in India?

The e-challan system first came into action in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam. From thereon, most of the Indian states have fully integrated the e-challan system and are operating under the One Nation One Challan System for national-level integration. Read more to know how this e-challan helps to digitise traffic fines:
 

1. Automatic Detection of Violence

The e-challan system uses AI-powered CCTV cameras to detect traffic violations automatically. The system can work 24/7 and can detect multiple violations at a time. 
 

2. Automatic issuing of E-challan

The e-challan system is integrated with databases such as VAHAN, SARATHI, and ITMS. With the help of these databases, the system automatically extracts the violator’s phone number using the car’s registration number and issues a challan on their phone via SMS.
 

3. Online payment of E-challan

Some banks offer an online e-challan payment feature in their mobile apps. You can confer with your bank about the availability of these services. Other more prominently available ways include government and third-party websites. For example, residents of Bihar can pay their e challan bihar online using these options.

Key Ways How Mobile Apps and Websites Facilitate Easy Tracking and Clearing of Traffic Fines
 

1. Easy Tracking

Many third-party websites and bank apps offer a user-friendly interface to check and pay e-challans for free. You can easily track your challans using your vehicle registration or driving license number directly within the app.
 

2. 24/7 Open Payment Gateway

You can pay your e-challans online through the 24/7 open window using your phone. There are multiple modes of payment options available, including NetBanking and UPI. This eliminates the need to visit a government office physically.
 

3. Increased Transparency and Accountability

The digital system eliminates human intervention, thereby eliminating the risk of scams and bribery. Moreover, the system provides image proof of violation that helps to remove doubt and boost transparency.
 

4. Efficient and Error-Free processing

The e-challan system reduces the risk of errors such as miscalculation and improper entry, as your payment is digitally processed. Moreover, you receive your e-challan receipts as soon as you pay the challan, which helps to ensure transparency.
 

5. Paperless Process

You can easily check your e-challans online without the hassle of handling paper challans. Moreover, the digital system keeps your e-challan data organised and accessible. You can check your challan history anytime you want.
 

Various Ways You Can Check and Pay Your Traffic Fines Online

Some selective third-party companies and banks offer the facility to check and pay e-challan online. Let’s know about them in detail.
 

1. Third-party Apps

Many businesses offer e-challan check-and-pay services as part of their complementary services. These third-party websites and applications offer a well-optimised, user-friendly interface for paying e-challans online.
 

2. Bank Apps

Some selective bank apps offer e-challan payment portals to make it convenient for people to pay e-challans. You can confer with your bank about whether they provide such a feature or not.
 

3. Parivahan Portal (Government Website)

Most people prefer to pay their e-challans through the official government website, also known as “E-Challan Parivahan”. This is a universal website that people from all over the country can use to pay their e-challans online.
 

4. State Police Website

Apart from the unified Parivahan website, the government also has a state-specific website. People from each state can pay their issued challan from their state’s e-challan website. For example, if a person from West Bengal has a challan issued to them, then the person can pay their challan on the “West Bengal Traffic Police” website.

Note: Unlike before, having pending challans has some repercussions. The West Bengal Government recently launched the Sanyog Portal, which allows people to view and pay their challans. The new system will not allow you to renew your pollution or fitness certificate if you have pending challans.

The Bottom Line

The government makes e-challan payment convenient for people. However, it also made it stricter for people to pay the dues on time. Currently, the government has launched virtual courts under the ONOC program. As per this program, People who do not pay their fines within 90 days of issuance will have to attend virtual court hearings and settle their cases. 

Apart from this, various states may have different repercussions for having unpaid challans. Make sure you know about these repercussions in your state.