Kerala traffic fines pile up; 85.5 lakh e-challans pending, most penalties unpaid

Kollam: The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department has received only around one-third of the fines imposed through e-challans for traffic violations over the past three years, leaving more than 64 per cent of the penalty amount outstanding. Meanwhile, 85,51,151 e-challans are reportedly pending in the system.

The figures highlight major gaps in the state's traffic fine collection system. A shortage of staff and the lack of funds under the existing contract to print and send challan notices by post, have contributed to the problem.

Notices for e-challans generated by enforcement squads are supposed to be sent by post by the respective Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) or Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors (AMVIs) working in the field. However, considering their workload, clerks from the ministerial section have temporarily been assigned to handle the task.

As many vehicle owners do not receive physical notices, they often have to rely on SMS alerts sent to their phones to learn about pending fines. However, officials believe that such messages may easily go unnoticed.

The department is therefore considering sending e-challan notifications through WhatsApp to improve communication with vehicle owners.

Keltron has already submitted a recommendation in this regard. The Kerala State IT Mission has also recommended integrating all WhatsApp-based services of the Motor Vehicles Department into a unified system.