In a major relief to vehicle owners, the Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled all traffic challans issued between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. This includes both private and commercial vehicles, and also applies to cases that are currently pending in court.
The announcement was made on June 2, 2023, by Transport Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Singh. He said that the decision was taken to provide relief to vehicle owners who were unable to pay their challans due to various reasons, such as financial hardship or the COVID-19 pandemic.
To avail of the waiver, vehicle owners do not need to take any action. The challans will be automatically cancelled from the government’s e-challan portal. However, those who have already paid their challans will not be eligible for a refund.
Amount of the challans that have been waived.
The Uttar Pradesh government has not disclosed the total amount of traffic challans that have been cancelled. However, it is estimated that the amount could be in the billions of rupees.
According to a report by the Times of India, the Noida transport department said that a total of 29,590 pending challans during the period of 2017 to 2021 will be withdrawn. This means that the total amount of challans cancelled in Noida alone could be around Rs. 3 crore.
Why did the government waive the challans?
The government has not given any specific reason for waiving the challans. However, it is possible that the decision was taken to provide relief to vehicle owners who were unable to pay their challans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy, and many people have lost their jobs or had their incomes reduced.
It is also possible that the decision was taken to encourage people to follow traffic rules. By waiving the old challans, the government may be hoping to send a message that it is committed to road safety.
Has something like this happened in the past?
Yes, there have been a few instances in the past where the government has waived traffic challans. For example, in 2016, the Delhi government waived all traffic challans issued between January 1 and December 31, 2015. The government said that the decision was taken to provide relief to vehicle owners who were unable to pay their challans due to the odd-even traffic scheme that was in place at the time.
In 2020, the Gujarat government waived all traffic challans issued between March 25 and May 31, 2020. This was done to provide relief to vehicle owners who were unable to pay their challans due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
What are the possible impacts of the waiver?
The waiver of traffic challans is likely to have a positive impact on vehicle owners. It will provide relief to those who were unable to pay their challans due to various reasons, and it may also encourage people to follow traffic rules.
However, it is important to note that the waiver does not apply to new challans that are issued after December 31, 2021. Vehicle owners should therefore continue to follow traffic rules to avoid getting challans in the future.
Conclusion
The Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to waive all traffic challans for the last 3 years is a welcome move. It will provide relief to vehicle owners who were unable to pay their challans, and it may also encourage people to follow traffic rules.
However, it is important to note that the waiver does not apply to new challans that are issued after December 31, 2021. Vehicle owners should therefore continue to follow traffic rules to avoid getting challans in the future.