SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Police has been silently racking up funds under the guise of traffic enforcement, leaving the public in the dark about the surge in challans and fines.
The police force, armed with a high-tech arsenal including the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), breath analyzers, laser speed guns, and 4G body-worn cameras, has turned the roads into a revenue-generating battleground.
The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, ostensibly a watchdog, has been keeping a close eye on the state police's traffic enforcement measures, adding an extra layer of scrutiny.
However, the public remains largely uninformed about the extensive use of technology and the staggering numbers behind the scenes.
A comparison of district-wise traffic challans reveals a jaw-dropping surge.
From January 2022 to October 2022, 7,47,951 challans were issued, resulting in Rs. 29,69,66,343 being deposited in the government treasury.
Fast forward to the same period in 2023, and the numbers have not abated. A whopping 6,99,618 challans have been issued, with Rs. 27,40,02,605 already collected. The scale of this operation is alarming.
The police, equipped with an e-challan system, have taken the revenue drive to the next level.
Challans for traffic violations under the Motor Vehicle Act are now issued seamlessly, both on the spot and online.
The twist lies in the fine print – these challans can be compounded instantly, and the violators are offered the convenience of paying on the spot through debit/credit cards or QR code.
The move is not just about enforcing traffic rules; it's a strategic move to ensure funds keep pouring into the government treasury.
Every violator, unaware of the implications, receives a message on their registered mobile number with a link for online payment.
The modes of payment read like a digital shopping cart: net banking, UPI, credit or debit cards, and even RTGS.
It's a seamless transition from breaking traffic rules to breaking the bank, with the public left in the dark about the extent of this financial onslaught.
While the police claim to focus on public safety and reducing road accidents, the sheer scale of the revenue drive raises questions about the true motives behind the surge in traffic enforcement.
As the state issues directions to lagging districts to improve progress under the Motor Vehicle Act, the public remains unwittingly caught in the crossfire of a silent war on wallets.
