MADURAI: To simplify payment of fines for traffic violations through the e-challan system, the Madurai city police have included digital wallets and internet banking payment methods. Apart from this, anyone can settle pending fines of previous cases booked anywhere in the state using these payment methods.
City police commissioner Prem Anand Sinha said that a proposal was made after analysing that realisation of fines was much lower considering the number of cases that were booked. “We found that only around 40% of fines were being collected through the e-challan system by payment through cards or e-service centres.
As digital wallets and internet banking have become commonly available among the public, it would be easier for people to pay the fines quickly if these payment methods are available,” he said.
Previously, through the e-challan system, payment of fines could only be done on the spot on the e-challan machine by use of debit or credit card or at a government e-service centre. “We cannot force them to pay. Most violators of traffic rules either say that they don’t have a credit or debit cards with them or they have low balance. They are also not keen to pay through e-service centres,” said a traffic police official. At e-service centres, a commission has to be paid which makes it even more burden for the people.
Since last week, the city traffic police have gradually started accepting payment through various digital wallets such as Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and internet banking from traffic violators.
“Additionally, through the e-challan machine, we can pull up any pending fine amounts of previous cases booked in any district in Tamil Nadu and the violators can make payment for it too in a swift manner without any difficulty,” said Sinha.
The commissioner also added that efforts are being made to create more awareness among the public of availability of these new modes of payment through social media and also by pasting posters/stickers on traffic police booths.
