Navi Mumbai Traffic Department commissions paperless e-challan

Navi Mumbai Traffic department has launched the new on-the-spot e-challan system that enables payment of penalty by swiping credit/debit cards and does not require printed receipts or postal intimation. The system is likely to officially inaugurated across the satellite city during the annual road safety week around the second week of January.

Mumbai, Pune and Nashik are the other centres where the new system has started. However, Navi Mumbai police commissionerate has taken official sanction and opened a new account for the penalty collected to be directly routed to the state treasury.

Currently, the traffic police of the city are using 10 such mobile-based apps that have been pressed into service for arresting traffic violations in CBD, Belapur, which is closer to the traffic headquarter and the penalty collected is deposited with the Belapur traffic unit – it being the central collection point of penalties by all the traffic units. The penalty collected then is forwarded to the state treasury.

The system will enable police personnel takes a snap of the violations like triple driving, not wearing helmet among others and a speed gun to record the speed for slapping the fine.

This new system is described as efficient as swiping of cards ensures direct on the spot payment. There’s no need for a printer as in the earlier format of e-challan on the spot. Also, no tab is also required to process the challan. The app has options for violations and the particular one applicable is SMSed to the offender. Any person not having card can make the payment in 10 days. The bank and Vodafone gallery (tie up) informs the traffic department. Anybody opting to contest the penalty is taken to the court.

The app also enables to trace the background of the offender by detailing cases against the motorist/rider and if payment of penalty is pending. There’s also no issue of challan being sent by post and faulty address a road bump to the earlier electronic challan.

In the new system, the CCTVs play the crucial role of providing the additional proof of violation besides the direct on the spot checking. The penalty includes the bank charges for the swipes and the payment arrangement per swipe with the company providing the software.