[boniver]

A challan usually goes to court when it remains unpaid for a long time. In my case it was a 300 rupees speeding fine on my dad's Santro that I never paid. There was an option to pay the challan online at first but about a year later the status changed to "Sent to Court" or something of that sort. We sold the car like that and the new owner was able to get the challan cleared by paying some 2k to an RTO agent, who in turn paid the fine off in court. The timeline for this was around 2020-22.

However the 1 year cutoff date isnt applicable any more since I recently discovered and paid off a 2 year old parking ticket on my sister's scooter.

[GTX+]

Originally Posted by noopster

Weird thing is that the challan still shows outstanding in the echallan system. Hoping it won't cause issues going forward.

By any chance, was this challan issued in a different state? Recently I found that a challan has been issued in my name by Rajasthan Police for "Driving Without License". The challan was issued last year some time in April. While I was in Rajasthan during that time (my Jaisalmer trip), I was never stopped by the traffic police in the entire trip. So its a mystery as to how they deduced that I was driving without a license For the record, I do possess a valid driving license.

Apart from my car reg number and my name, there are no other details. It is absolutely blank. Not even the amount of challan. There is no option for me to pay or challenge. There is no status update either, whether it is in court or not.

I am absolutely clueless and so just keeping quiet for now.

[ihotoris]

Originally Posted by BertieWoosert

In both cases, the violation is for Sec 122/177 MVA, and the description states "Causing danger / obstructions or undue inconvenience to other users of public place or to the passengers by allowing the vehicle to be abandoned or to remain at rest on any public place".

I am not able to figure out what exactly this section is. I checked very thoroughly and I could not find any "No Parking" board on the entire stretch of this particular road.

Any help on this would be highly appreciated! I have currently started using an auto-rickshaw to visit this area till I figure this out.

In 2023 I got a challan under this same section for parking in a lane near Juhu Tara Road. I thought it was unusual because, like you, there were many cars parked there and it appeared as if only I got challaned. At the time I just paid it because my car was relatively new and I didn't know you could dispute the challan plus I didn't want any issues with traffic police in the future.

Since then I'm wary of parking anywhere else because a subsequent challan under this section is not 500 but 1500!

My theory is that cops on patrol issue challans under this section because it leads to a higher challan amount for recurring offenses. I got this info from the traffic police's website itself and for some reason their PDF does not list any fine amount for No Parking nor is it compoundable. You can check the pdf list for fines here and I have uploaded a screenshot as well.

Again this is just a theory and I could be wrong. Maybe someone who knows more could shed light on this.

[Dev_GT]

Originally Posted by BertieWoosert

In both cases, the violation is for Sec 122/177 MVA, and the description states "Causing danger / obstructions or undue inconvenience to other users of public place or to the passengers by allowing the vehicle to be abandoned or to remain at rest on any public place".

I am not able to figure out what exactly this section is.

This section is used by the cops when you park close to, or on a turning, where the road is curved.

[mack.mehul]

The cops these days they go on a challaning spree towards the end of the quarter month when they have to complete their targets. I have seen most absurd kind of challans being issued. Since the time challans have been coming online, the traffic cops basically do every kind of challan whether legal or illegal.

[ihotoris]

Originally Posted by mack.mehul

The cops these days they go on a challaning spree towards the end of the quarter month when they have to complete their targets. I have seen most absurd kind of challans being issued. Since the time challans have been coming online, the traffic cops basically do every kind of challan whether legal or illegal.

I check the MTP app regularly just in case some cop or traffic cam has challaned me for something. Haven't had anything yet luckily, but wondering how I would dispute it in case of a wrong challan. Going to court for something minor like that seems tedious.

[Axe77]

Contesting and reversing a duplicate challan for the same offense

On 12th January, I got issued two challans for wrong parking in a lane at Nariman Point (right next to the new KTM showroom where I had gone for their launch event).

Incidentally this is Sunday evening around 5.45 pm, the lane is pretty much closed with a carnival going on at one end and kids playing cricket in the middle of the road right next to where I was parked (just highlighting this for the amusing default text that accompanies my specific offense). I must have been parked there for around 45-50 mins max, door to door.

Anyway, purpose of this thread is to outline the process of reversing the duplicate challan that I received along with the relevant dateline in case it benefits any other folks who find themselves at the wrong end of a misdirected challan - assuming their fact set enables them to demonstrate that it is in fact wrongly issued. I think specially in cases where a wrong vehicle is involved, this should be easily demonstrable.

My MTP app showed these two offenses pretty much real time on 12th Jan, probably before I had even left the parking spot. I was there end to end for not more than 50 mins.

Note that one is for Rs. 500 and the other for Rs. 1500. This is possible where the wrong parking is for a continuous period of more than an hour. That was not the case here. Even the timing of issuance of challan was the same.
12 Jan 2025


Two images below show the expanded text of the challans. The only difference is the fine amount and minor difference in location for some reason, which is impossible since the car was parked. Even the timing is exactly the same.


I’m guessing it’s possible two separate patrolling teams came and issued the challans.


The expanded text of violation details. Fancy big words frankly considering the lane is dead closed, its Sunday evening and kids are playing cricket in the middle of the road with a full on carnival like setting going on at the other end.


As the next step, I paid one of the two challans - Rs. 500 what should be the rightful amount of a parking violation instead of Rs. 1500.


Just FYI, this is the MumTrafficApp that I use on IOS to track my challans, pay them and in thsi case, I also used it to online file my grievance.


I submitted my issue in the grievance tab of the app and got the confirmation message below via SMS. All good so far. The grievance showed “In Process” until the issue was finally resolved.
Complaint submitted on 14 Jan 2025


Finally, some time yesterday I got this message that the issues is resolved and the challan deleted. It took about 24 days end to end for the process to complete.
7 Feb 2025


The short tab under grievances that shows request is “approved”.


Expanded text below with the reasoning. The Remark tab shows what I had written at time of submitting grievance. The text above is MTP’s conclusion.

The good thing is that while it’s inconvenient to have such challans issued, where facts are clearly demonstrable, it is easy to contest online with minimal inconvenience. I think instances where folks are wrongly challaned where a different vehicle was the offending vehicle but with same or similar number or anything else similar could use these tools to conveniently have their fines reversed.


Unrelated side note:
My minor social gripe is the typical approach of traffic police. I am fully liable I admit for the wrong parking. But this is literally in a lane with no traffic and it’s causing no obstruction. People are playing sunday cricket on the whole lane and next to the car for chrissakes. On the other hand, no amount of personal appeals by a bunch of housing societies in our area even at the higher levels of traffic police department moves them into taking action against 100+ triple parked scooters in the lanes around our building or the normalised wrong side driving that is prevalent here. Law enforcement is centered around ensuring VIP and uber rich areas are livable or a quick buck is made off trivial offenses while the rest of the city suffers massive non compliance with no policing or enforcement whatsoever.

[kadanaJ]

I had an incident the other day where a traffic cop tried to challan my vehicle while I was waiting for someone with the engine running.

Now, to be fair, I will give facts including where I technically may have been wrong.

I had stopped in what could be considered double parking. That was the reason the police officer decided to try and challan me before I convinced him I would move immediately.

Technically, as per the law, I suppose the officer may have been right.

Now here's where common sense comes in, and I believe certain officers care more about hitting targets than ascertaining what is in public good.

The road I was stopped on was one of those poorly designed ones that are narrow enough for 2 cars, becomes extremely wide, enough for 5 cars side by side, before narrowing down to 2 cars width again. The place where I stopped was the wide part where I was causing ZERO inconvenience to other road users. Not a single vehicle has to turn to avoid me. Not a single honk. I chose that spot knowing I would cause absolutely no obstruction or inconvenience to anyone, motorist or pedestrian.

Anyways, after the police officer told me to move to avoid the challan, I decided to also be technically right.

I cannot stop my vehicle while waiting in it where I am not causing inconvenience? Okay buddy. We also don't have minimum speed limits.

So I slotted the car into 1st gear, and just circled about at a speed of 10kmph. Where before, I was causing ZERO inconvenience, I certainly was being a nuisance now, but it's ok because I'm following the law. Cars were honking behind me, going around me, and my slow moving vehicle became a cause of chaos.

BUT, it was okay, because I would not get a challan for breaking the law.

Just an anecdote of how in their pursuit to fine and easy target, a police officer moved a vehicle from a spot where no one was being inconvenienced into becoming an actual inconvenience.

[wheelspinner]

This is an excellent grievance resolution process that actually works. Sadly, many of us in metro cities still don't have this facility. For the benefit of anyone reading this, in some cities like Kolkata you can wait till you accumulate multiple challans. Then get away with paying 10-20% of that through agents working with RTOs, and traffic department. This saves you from unnecessary hassles of going to court or, any complicated procedures. It has to be within 1-2 yrs max. I had multiple bogus challans worth Rs. 20,000 and I paid an agent Rs. 2000 who removed them for me.

Thought about sharing as I am not aware if Kolkata traffic police has a similar grievance redressal system.

[YK85]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Contesting and reversing a duplicate challan for the same offense

On 12th January, I got issued two challans for wrong parking in a lane at Nariman Point (right next to the new KTM showroom where I had gone for their launch event).


Unrelated side note:
My minor social gripe is the typical approach of traffic police. I am fully liable I admit for the wrong parking. But this is literally in a lane with no traffic and it’s causing no obstruction People are playing sunday cricket next to me for chrissakes. On the other hand, no amount of personal appeals by a bunch of housing societies in our area even at the higher levels of traffic police department moves them into taking action against 100+ triple parked scooters in the lanes around our building or the normalised wrong side driving that is prevalent here. Law enforcement is centered around ensuring VIP and uber rich areas are livable or a quick buck is made off trivial offenses while the rest of the city suffers massive non compliance with no policing or enforcement whatsoever.

It all starts to make sense when you realise that traffic police is not there to help or make citizens life easier. They are simply there to extract money from citizens which can either go into government coffers or their personal wallets depending on how the interaction goes. This also explains non-existent or defective signage and ad-hoc rules, the goal is not to improve but to extort.

For example let's suppose there is a one-way road, the signboard would be missing or placed somewhere not easily seen and Traffic police would be strategically stationed at the other end of the one-way to challan people. Now the thing is, if the goal was actually to ease traffic issues instead of extortion, shouldn't the traffic police be stationed at the entry of the one-way to guide people not to enter from the wrong side?

I understand that Traffic police cannot be placed at all points but what is the intention behind where they are actually present? Is it to help or is it to extort?

[SidTheChamp]

A few days back, when I was driving from office to home the Thane traffic police used technology to catch me.

I was coming from Saket, took Nasik highway and was planning to take right at Majiwade junction to get on Ghodbunder Road. Because of some 'inherent' driving sense from the drivers ahead i.e the vehicle at right side of road wants to take left and vice versa I missed the right and patiently waited at the front of the line. A big Scorpio comes by my side and stretches to two feet ahead of other vehicles thus cutting into road spaces.

A traffic constable lady comes and I was almost certain she came to admonish the Scorpio. To my utter surprise, she asks for my license. I gave it. She goes back and returns after a minute. Telling me to park the car by side. I was calm thinking everything is in order for me. She asked for insurance (which I had renewed a month back) and PUC certificate. I was certain my PUC was valid till March. To my utter horror, the PUC had expired 3 days back.

Then what, had to pay the fine and leave. We were discussing when coming back and realized that while my car was at front line of the signal, the traffic police quickly checked the vehicle number online and found out PUC had expired. Catching me was no coincidence

[Maky]

Originally Posted by Axe77

The good thing is that while it’s inconvenient to have such challans issued, where facts are clearly demonstrable, it is easy to contest online with minimal inconvenience.

Absolutely. Sharing my experience with the lovely Bombay traffic police.
Firstly, the Challan history for the two vehicles owned:



Now, the first one on top is for a Maruti Swift used solely by a senior family member with 9 challans history, and the second one, I'm happy to say, is my Tiguan with 0 challans over the past 1.5 years driving
I contested 4 challans, with 2 being cleared with minimal inconvenience, as you correctly said, Axe...



The other 2 that got declined were issued with vague images, from which I, and probably most people, would be uncertain if a violation even occurred!





The violations above are stated as no parking and signal jumping.
Besides issuing 'evidence' images that are questionable to begin with, what is more interesting is that these challans popped up in 2023 with the violation date stated as 2021. My family member cannot recall events from years prior.

[BertieWoosert]

Originally Posted by ihotoris

...
I thought it was unusual because, like you, there were many cars parked there and it appeared as if only I got challaned.
...

Yes - it felt odd to get challaned even when parked in between so many cars.

Originally Posted by Dev_GT

This section is used by the cops when you park close to, or on a turning, where the road is curved.

Thanks. I do avoid parking on curves/turns. Although I now feel that the definition of how/where the road is turning is subjective. As far as I remember, there is no explicit turn on the stretch where I parked, but perhaps the entire road curves naturally just a little bit, and the police are using that as the basis for issuing the challan.

[cpbhp]

I was wrongly ticketed by the Bangalore traffic police for driving without a seatbelt. This was surprising, as both my cars have seatbelt reminders, making it virtually impossible to forget. Checking the traffic portal, I discovered the photo was of a black Hyundai i10. The photo quality was extremely poor.

I raised a complaint on Twitter, and two months later, the ticket was simply deleted without any explanation or acknowledgment.

[abhi3284]

Need some guidance on dealing with a Traffic Violation Lok Adalat Notice SMS i received from MHPECH couple of days ago. The Lok Adalat Notice is dated 27-02-2025 and the Lok Adalat Date is 23-03-2025. The funny part is i was sure i did not travel the route where they have charged me for the violation on that date. When i further checked the Challan in detail, it is for a Speed Violation (66 kph vs 60 speed limit) on date 18 Feb, but 2024. i.e. more than an year old violation. The fine levied is 2000.

I checked few handful 3rd party Apps to check for any active Challan and it returned No Challan due. I then downloaded the MahaTraffic Mobile App and i can see the E-Challan listed there along with 2 Images as Evidence. However, in the past 1 year, i have not received any message or notification regarding this Traffic Violation, until 2 days ago.

Can they charge or send a notice for more than an year old traffic violation and is it non- admissible now? Or do i just Pay the Fine and get done with it?