How Does the E-challan System Work in India?

Thanks to the digital revolution, today, you can perform the most mundane to essential tasks such as grocery shopping, travel booking, making bill payments, and bank transfers online. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can search, compare, and even buy things online. 

This holds for almost all aspects of day-to-day life. For example, now, you can buy car insurance or track your traffic rule violations online. As accidents and traffic violations are increasing by the day, so are the issuances of challans. Tapping into the benefits of digitalisation, now e-challans are issued to make the challan tracking and issuing process easier. An e-challan can be issued for numerous reasons including driving without a valid licence or not having valid vehicle insurance.  

Here’s all you need to know about the e-challan system in India.

What is e-challan?

Before delving into the details of an e-challan, you must know what a traffic challan is. A challan is an official document issued to you when you are caught violating traffic rules. As per the challan, issued under your name, you must pay a penalty for the violation. The penalty amount depends on the nature of the offence registered in the challan. For different offences such as wrong parking, and breaking signals, the penalty amount is outlined in the Motors Vehicle Act. As per the Act, if you are found breaking any traffic rules or law, a traffic police can issue a challan against you. 

Simply put, an e-challan is a digital challan issued using a software application. It is generated using a web interface and an app. An e-challan is synced with the VAHAN and Sarathi portals as well so that there can be seamless access to information about the concerned vehicles. The purpose behind computer-generated e-challan is to make the traffic enforcement system easy, manageable, and transparent. 

When is an e-challan issued?

It is important to know what constitutes traffic rule violations. Listed below are some of the reasons for which you may be issued an e-challan:

• Breaking traffic signals and driving or riding when the red light is on
• Driving at a speed higher than the specified speed limit
• Driving an unauthorised car or two-wheeler
• Driving without a valid third party car insurance
• Driving without a driving licence
• Drunk driving
• Not cooperating with the traffic police and refusing to share information
• Driving without wearing helmets or seatbelts
• Not carrying relevant documents such as the registration certificate, pollution control certificate etc.
• Not stopping when asked to or indicated by the traffic police
• Creating traffic obstruction

How does the e-challan system work?

With the e-challan system in place, managing traffic has become much easier. Irrespective of the fact whether traffic police are present on the spot or not, you cannot go around violating traffic rules anymore as the chances of getting caught are high. Read on to know how.

• • On all the prominent roads and highways, CCTVs are installed. If you violate any traffic rule such as over-speeding, jumping a red light signal, or driving an unauthorised or stolen car, which can be identified by its number, the CCTV system will immediately capture these instances.

• The officer in charge will get the details from the records available in the camera system and feed all the relevant details on the web-based challan app and an e-challan will be automatically issued.

• Based on the details available from the CCTV footage, a quick search for further details is done. RTO, VAHAN, and Sarthi apps contain all the details about vehicles registered in India. The information includes manufacturing details, accidents it has been involved in, its manufacturing details, registration details, owner details and more.

• Once information like the name, address and contact number of the person who has violated the traffic regulation are gathered, the traffic department sends the e-challan to the RTO. The challan includes details about the time, place, and type of violation.

• The e-challan is then sent to the mobile number of the person who violated the traffic rule. They are given a stipulated period within which they must pay the traffic violation penalty. Failing to pay the penalty in time can cause further fines along with legal repercussions. Even the driving licence and registration can be suspended.

• Next, the penalty has to be paid. It can be done either online or offline.

• To make an online payment, visit the official website of your state transport department.

• To pay the penalty offline, visit the local RTO.

Remember, following traffic rules is non-negotiable for your own safety and that of others. So, make sure whenever you are heading out, you have your helmet if you ride a two-wheeler. If you drive a car, wear your seatbelts. Note, it is mandatory to have a driving licence and valid vehicle insurance to drive your vehicle on Indian roads. Renew your insurance on time for uninterrupted coverage. Maintaining traffic rules is necessary for physical safety and vehicle insurance ensures your financial safety. Buy car insurance on time and stay protected against the financial repercussions of mishaps such as accidents, collisions, theft etc. With several insurance companies offering motor insurance online, you can easily buy it anytime and from anywhere.