The Telangana government on Tuesday launched a scheme for citizens to pay pending challans at only a fraction of the original value. Under the scheme, the state government is offering 60-90 per cent discount on the traffic challan amount. The one-time settlement scheme will remain open from December 26 to January 10. However, several users complained of not being able to get the declared discount and shared several posts on X tagging Hyderabad Police. A government order (GO) was soon issued to clarify all doubts.
As per the government order, 90 per cent discount will be offered to owners of push carts. They will have to pay only 10 per cent of the challan amount, while the remaining 90 per cent will be waived.
The same discount is offered to RTC drivers.
As per the orders the percentage of challans are divided according to the category of the vehicle. The push carts and TSRTC buses are to pay 10% of the challan amount with a waiver of 90%. Meanwhile, 2 and 3 wheeler are to pay 20% of the total challan amount with a waiver of 80%. pic.twitter.com/JEYnHZygL4
— Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (@TGPWU) December 26, 2023
In case of two-wheelers and three-wheelers, the government has waived 80 per cent of the challan amount. The discount in case of cars and other light motor vehicles and trucks and other heavy motor vehicles is 60 per cent.
The move was part of the election manifesto of the Congress, which has implemented it for the benefit of vehicle owners.
To pay the amount, the government order has asked vehicle owners to visit the Telangana traffic e-challan website, check pending challan against their vehicles and pay the discounted amount online.
Reports say about two crore traffic challans are pending across the state.
Earlier this year, the Centre had informed Parliament that more than 4.73 crore challans worth Rs 7,563.60 crore were issued for traffic violations across the country in 2022.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had further said that the authorities had issued more than 4.21 crore challans worth Rs 5,318.70 crore for traffic violations across the country in 2021.
According to the data provided by the minister, Karnataka (87,48,963) has the maximum number of registered vehicles (greater than or equal to 15 years), followed by Uttar Pradesh (74,91,584) and Delhi (57,85,609).