10 pending traffic fines can get you time in jail

THIS IS the first time any state is resorting to imprisonment for pending challans.

Traffic violators can land in jail if they have more than 10 challans pending, according to a new initiative of the Hyderabad traffic police.

After imprisonment for drunk driving and driving licence violations, the Hyderabad traffic police has been recommending to the courts that prison sentences be handed out for this offence too.

On Thursday, 14 persons were sentenced to jail for a day each for the first time for having 10 pending challans. Those with less than five pending challans will be given the opportunity to make online payment and spot payment but not those who have more than 10 pending challans.

A traffic police official said that they issue 10,000 challans every day. Around 8,000 pay up immediately. Some traffic violators try to escape without paying up. There are many repeat offenders and those who just don't pay up and this is what has prompted the traffic police to get tough.

Traffic violators can land in jail if they have more than 10 challans pending according to the new initiative of the Hyderabad traffic police.

DCP Traffic A.V. Ranganath said if a person has more than 10 pending challans, a charge-sheet will be booked against him and the vehicle will be seized. He will have to appear in court to retrieve the vehicle.

The offences that people are most commonly charged with are improper parking, speeding, jumping signals, and violating stop lines. Teams have been deployed by the traffic police, to nab violators.

He said the courts were being strict with violators and awarding imprisonment as a punishment.

Mr Vinod Kumar Kanumala, chief functionary of the Indian Federation of Road Safety, said that though it’s a good move by Hyderabad traffic police, they should have accurate data because in recent cases people have got challans for a vehicle that they sold two or three years ago.

“It is really important to have proper data before penalising people. The traffic police should have the same data that the transport department has to avoid challans being issued for old vehicles. Data is not being updated regularly,” he said.

Mr Kanumala pointed out that this is the first time any state is resorting to imprisonment for pending challans.

“They should focus more on how to develop their transport system,” he commented.