Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh: In Jhansi, flouting traffic rules and ignoring challans has become an everyday affair for locals. According to the Traffic Department, over the past 18 months, more than 3.5 lakh traffic challans have been issued. However, shockingly, only about 12,000 of those fines have been paid.
Despite the installation of high-tech surveillance cameras across the city to enforce traffic regulations, residents show little fear of being penalized. Most violations stem from over-speeding, signal jumping, and riding without helmets. The result: not only a massive financial backlog, but a growing threat to road safety.
₹50 Crore in Unpaid Fines
Officials state that over ₹50 crore worth of traffic fines remain unpaid, creating an enormous burden on enforcement agencies. Though automated messages are sent to violators, there is little enthusiasm from vehicle owners to settle their dues.
“Many people deliberately ignore the fines, believing they will eventually be waived,” said a traffic department official. “We are actively working to recover dues, but results have been limited so far.”
Legal Action in Process
Circle Officer (Traffic) Ramveer Singh clarified that defaulters are summoned to court when they fail to pay. If ignored, it can block critical services such as vehicle sale, ownership transfer, pollution certificate issuance, and renewal of official documents.
“Vehicle owners must understand that unpaid challans can disrupt their legal rights over their vehicles,” Singh emphasized.
Citizens Demand Stricter Enforcement
Locals expressed concern over reckless driving habits and urged the authorities to adopt a stricter stance. Many fear for their safety on roads, citing erratic vehicle movement and lawless driving as major causes of traffic chaos and potential accidents.
Political Promises and Public Apathy
Interestingly, the issue of traffic challans had surfaced during the last municipal elections. Current Mayor Bihari Lal Arya had promised to waive off old traffic fines if elected. That promise, however, remains unfulfilled at the administrative level, further fuelling public reluctance to pay.
Many vehicle owners are now waiting in hope that their challans might be canceled under some future policy change, contributing to a culture of non-compliance.
As Jhansi’s roads become increasingly dangerous and its revenue collection stagnates, the situation calls for urgent intervention—both to protect public safety and uphold the rule of law.
