Maharashtra News: Transport Committee Member Flags Misuse Of E-Challan System, Seeks Reform And Amnesty Scheme

Bal Malkit Singh, a member of the high-level committee formed by the Maharashtra government on to address grievances in the transport sector on Tuesday , has raised serious concerns over the misuse and arbitrary implementation of the E-Challan system in the state. In a strongly worded letter addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Singh, who also serves as Advisor and former President of the All India Motor Transport Congress, outlined multiple flaws in the current traffic enforcement practices.

The letter, representing the road transport fraternity, warns that the original intent of the E-Challan system to enable transparent, automated, and unbiased traffic enforcement is being compromised. Singh criticized the use of handheld mobile devices by traffic officers through the MahaTraffic App to issue challans, calling it “unscientific, discretionary, and open to misuse.” He alleged that officers often click random photos of vehicles without verifiable evidence and issue fines under pressure to meet internal targets. This method, he said, has led to widespread harassment, particularly of truck drivers and daily road users.

Singh highlighted the global model of E-Challan enforcement, which relies on AI-powered tools such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, red-light and speed detection systems, and GPS-based tracking systems designed to operate without human intervention. He claimed Maharashtra has veered sharply from this standard.

In a particularly troubling trend, Singh’s letter notes that enforcement officers are stopping vehicles on highways and city roads to collect pending fines a practice he termed “illegal, unsafe, and damaging to public trust.” He argued that penalties should be recovered only through institutional channels like RTOs or during document renewals, not by turning traffic personnel into “on-road collection agents.”

He also pointed out that Maharashtra appears to be the only state where such practices are rampant, which, he claimed, tarnishes the image of an otherwise industrially progressive region. “Such harassment-oriented enforcement is not aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047 or the progressive governance that Maharashtra stands for,” Singh said.

The high-level committee, constituted to examine these issues, is expected to recommend a more transparent and tolerant approach to E-Challan enforcement. Singh urged that the committee’s findings be made public and implemented through a formal Government Resolution (GR). Among his key recommendations were disabling the option to upload challan photos via mobile phones, issuing strict advisories to enforcement staff, and ensuring citizen-friendly enforcement procedures.

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Citing RTI data that revealed over 12.4 crore challans many allegedly unverifiable or caused by technical glitches Singh called for a mass waiver and the introduction of a one-time amnesty scheme for citizens to fairly settle dues.

The letter also referenced a recent suo motua action by the State Human Rights Commission over an incident on the Pune Expressway, where commuters were allegedly harassed by traffic personnel. Singh called it a clear example of systemic abuse and an urgent wake-up call for reform.

Additional demands include the designation of transport parking zones to prevent arbitrary “No Parking” fines and expedited approval of files concerning challans issued to heavy vehicles operating without a cleaner.