Police write to RTOs: What is leading to faulty e-challan mess

With several people writing to mid-day about their woes following our stories on e-challans issued to genuine owners for violations by fakers, traffic police promise remedial action

Police write to RTOs: What is leading to faulty e-challan mess

Dr Hasanain Shaikh

In view of complaints pouring in about faulty e-challans being issued to citizens, the traffic police have written to the RTO telling them that duplicate registration numbers have been found to be a primary source of the problem. Traffic cops have received 432 complaints of faulty e-challans over the past two months alone.

Speaking to mid-day, RTO deputy commissioner, Sandesh Chavan, said, "There is no way the same registration number can be issued for two vehicles, and this is not only for Mumbai but the whole of Maharashtra. Sometimes wrong e-challans get issued due to mistakes in checking the details. Those found using vehicles with duplicate registration numbers are booked for forgery. If the Traffic Police comes across a duplicate registration number, they start inquiries at their level and inform the RTO as well. When the cops get more details about the original and duplicate numbers, they start looking for the offending vehicle."

According to records available with the Traffic Police, they have received 432 complaints of faulty e-challans over the past two months. They issue about 8,000-9,000 e-challans everyday.

Also Read: Mumbai: Man receives multiple e-challans for illegal parking of scooter he doesn't own

'Will look into the matter'

The cops have also informed the RTO about duplicate registration numbers about which owners of the actual vehicles report them. When contacted, Madhukar Pandey, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said, "We will look into the matter."

However, it is not only the faulty e-challans that bother citizens but also the insane amounts of time the department takes to rectify them. With complaints flooding Twitter, people have said the department takes nothing less than three to four months to resolve them. One such citizen – Dr Hasanain Shikhari – has faced this twice. While the first matter was resolved after multiple emails and months of wait, the second one is yet to be rectified.

Car Number plate
Dr Hasanain Shikhari's vehicle

Dr Shikhari said the first faulty e-challan was sent to him on May 11 this year but after he sent the first email to the Traffic Police, there was no response.

"First I noticed an error in the e-challan issued to me on May 11 this year for my vehicle bearing registration number MH02DN5106, which is a BMW 3GT. The image accompanying the e-challan, which was issued for entering a no-entry zone, was that of a motorcycle with registration number MH02DV5106. This one was corrected after multiple emails and three months of wait," he said.

He further added, "I am not the only one who has faced this. Check Twitter to find out the number of complaints regarding faulty e-challans that have been sent by the Traffic Police without verifying registration numbers and other details of vehicles. And there is no redressal system in place to correct this. Emails go unanswered."

Also Read: No e-challans here, just 'pay and settle the matter', say Thane traffic police

The second time

Shikhari had not expected to face the same problem the second time. He received the second faulty e-challan for his vehicle bearing registration number MH01DN0098, which is a Maruti Ciaz.

But the picture accompanying the e-challan was that of a Mahindra Marazzo MUV, which had a broken number plate.

He added, "Faulty e-challans are being issued to people who are innocent. This problem shouldn't arise in the first place. Car owners and drivers should not have to prove their innocence due to the incompetence of the Mumbai Police."

Also Read: Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar's vehicle slapped with Rs 200 e-challan

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