Preparations are underway to streamline the process of settling the lakhs of long-pending traffic challans in the capital, Delhi. The Delhi government is considering empowering all 39 Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and certain Transport Department officials to accept challan payments. To this end, the Transport Department has drafted a proposal and submitted it to the Delhi government; the proposal is likely to be placed before the Cabinet soon. Once Cabinet approval is secured, additional officials can be authorized to handle the settlement of pending challans. Currently, the public relies on a limited number of officials and specific procedures to resolve challan-related matters, leading to inconvenience due to the large backlog of pending challans. Under the new proposal, the 39 SDMs and authorized Transport Department officials would be able to facilitate the challan payment process. This is expected to accelerate the settlement process and provide relief to the public.
Traffic Police to be notified immediately upon payment
At present, challan payments are primarily made online or through Lok Adalats; however, only a limited number of cases can be resolved via these channels. Under the new proposal, individuals will be able to visit their local SDM office to pay their challans. A dedicated portal will be developed for this purpose and integrated with the traffic police’s portal. Under the proposed system, as soon as a challan is paid at the SDM office, the information will be automatically updated on the traffic police portal. Subsequently, the relevant challan will be removed from the portal, ensuring records remain up-to-date. The objective of this system is to enable people to settle pending challans within their own localities. Officials believe this will make the settlement process faster and more convenient. Additionally, resolving a higher volume of pending challans is expected to boost government revenue. Further steps will be initiated once the Cabinet approves the proposal.
Inconvenience faced at Lok Adalats
According to a senior official, the implementation process will commence once the proposal receives Cabinet approval. To achieve this, the relevant amendment must be passed by the Legislative Assembly within six months. Only then will the path be cleared to implement the new system on the ground. An official noted that resolving traffic challans through the Lok Adalats held in Delhi is not easy for the general public. It requires booking an appointment online beforehand, and due to the limited number of slots available, there is often a scramble among people to secure one. Additionally, many people seek the assistance of lawyers to resolve their challans, incurring extra fees in the process.
A system of Special Weekend Traffic Courts (WTC) has already been introduced to facilitate the resolution of pending traffic challans in Delhi. The Delhi District Courts, in coordination with the Delhi Traffic Police, launched these special courts in the city on July 5. The initiative aims to provide citizens with a convenient way to resolve pending compoundable traffic notices and challans. Under this system, citizens can also settle their pending cases through virtual courts.
Hearings on the Second Saturday and Sundays of Every Month
The Special Weekend Traffic Courts operate on the second Saturday and every Sunday of the month. According to officials, there is a plan to set up a total of 22 traffic court benches across Delhi’s 11 district court complexes. Each bench will hear approximately 700 compoundable notices or challans in a single session. This is expected to help expedite the resolution of a large number of pending cases.
System in Place at 6 Major Court Complexes
According to a senior police official, the special traffic courts are operating at major district court complexes, including Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Saket, Dwarka, Rohini, and Karkardooma. The courts function in two sessions: the first session runs from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and the second session from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
