No helmet? No two-wheeler? Still, pay the fine

Dr Rajan Nerurkar with his car

On Friday afternoon, Dr Rajan Nerurkar, professor and HOD of pharmacology at BYL Nair Hospital and TN Medical College, Mumbai Central, received two SMSes from Mumbai traffic police, alerting him of a challan for a traffic violation. The challan directed him to pay Rs 500 for not wearing a helmet. Dr Nerurkar has never owned a two-wheeler. Since he's physically-challenged, he cannot even ride a two-wheeler. The vehicle number in the challan is the number of his four-wheeler.

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Dr Nerurkar said, "I have now written to the commissioner of police and joint commissioner of police (traffic) seeking their intervention in rectifying the record. At the time the offence was registered, I was at a store in Agripada. I have never owned a two-wheeler. The image sent with the SMS shows the image of a two-wheeler and my car is not even in the picture."

The Mumbai traffic department outsources the task of dispatching e-challans to a private company. A staff member from the help desk said, "This image is not captured by the CCTV camera, but has been taken on mobile by a traffic policeman or officer on duty, attached to Wadala divison. We cannot find more details online and will have to check with the traffic division in Wadala to zero in on the concerned traffic cop." When asked if they receive such complaints for wrong challans regularly, the staff admitted, "Usually we receive three to four such wrong challan complaints a week. Such errors occur when the traffic violator on a two-wheeler, instead of stopping, tries to flee and there isn't time for the traffic cop to write down the correct registration number."

Nerurkar, who has been fined twice in the past, for halting his car ahead of the zebra crossing and for parking his car at a bus stop, has cleared both dues. According to cops, the mistake with the pending Rs 500 challan will be rectified, and he will receive an alert. Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said, "We have received the email from Dr Nerurkar. We have cancelled the e-challan issued to him and regret the inconvenience caused."

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How to rectify wrong e-challans

In case you have received an incorrect e-challan, you can contact the helpline number, 8448448960, or write to helpdesk@mahatrafficechallan.gov.in, with a copy of the e-challan SMS received. Post verification, the e-challan will be cancelled. You can also write to the joint commissioner directly, at cp.mumbai.jtcp.traf@mahapolice.gov.in.

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