Karnataka's 50% traffic fine cut nets Rs 26.37 crore in 18 days

The Karnataka government's 50% concession on traffic e-challan fines led to the settlement of over 8.82 lakh pending cases. The state collected more than Rs 26.37 crore in just 18 days under this one-time amnesty scheme.

The Karnataka government has said that over 8.82 lakh pending traffic e-challan cases have been settled since it introduced a 50 per cent concession on fines, with the state collecting more than Rs 26.37 crore under the scheme in 18 days, as per the release.

According to an order issued vide No: TD 27 TDO 2023 dated June 21, the concession came into effect from the same day. The scheme applies to pending cases registered under traffic e-challans by the Police Department.

Amnesty Scheme to Clear Backlog

The state has been grappling with a huge backlog of pending traffic violation cases for years. In Bengaluru alone, crores of rupees worth of e-challans remained unpaid as many vehicle owners delayed payments due to accumulated fines, penalties, and interest. To tackle this, the government announced the one-time 50% concession as an amnesty scheme. The main objectives were to clear the pending cases, reduce the litigation burden on courts, improve traffic discipline, and boost state revenue by encouraging early settlement.

Similar amnesty schemes have been implemented earlier in states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Telangana, where partial waivers helped in faster disposal of lakhs of pending traffic cases. The Karnataka Police Department has been sending SMS alerts and notifications to vehicle owners, urging them to pay dues online, at Bangalore One centres, or at traffic police stations during the concession window.

Encouraging Response and Final Warning

As per official data, during the period from June 21 to July 8, a total of 8,82,290 pending cases were settled through all prescribed modes of payment. The state has collected a total amount of Rs. 26,37,79,300 during these 18 days under the concession scheme. Authorities said the response has been encouraging and urged people with pending e-challans to make use of the concession before the scheme ends. Officials warned that once the deadline is over, full fines along with additional penalties and possible legal action will resume. (ANI)

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