The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 for “Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety” and directed the state agencies to use electronic enforcement devices for issuing challans.
The modifications to the Motor Vehicle Act, according to the ministry, are aimed at reducing the number of traffic offences across the country and increasing transparency in the enforcement of traffic laws.
Many cities, including Delhi, have implemented the e-challan system, which sends a notification to the owner of a vehicle that has broken traffic rules.
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New Challan Rules
According to the new rules, agencies must issue challans to the offender within fifteen days of the traffic violation, and the electronic record must be kept until the challan is disposed of.
“The notice of offence shall be sent within fifteen days of the occurrence of the offence and the electronic record collected by way of electronic monitoring should be stored till the disposal of challan,” the ministry tweeted.
When The Challan Should Be Issued?
As per the newly notified rules, challans can be issued for not driving within the prescribed speed limit, stopping or parking a vehicle at an unauthorised location, not undertaking safety measures for drivers and pillion riders not wearing a helmet.
To issue a challan, state authorities should be required to give the following details:
- Photographic evidence of the offence
- The vehicle’s licence plate
- The measurements from an electronic enforcement device.
- The date and the time
- The location of the offence.
The Detailed Provisions For Placement Of Electronic Enforcement Devices
The new guidelines lay out the specifics for where electronic enforcement devices (speed cameras, closed-circuit television cameras, speed guns, body-worn cameras, dashboard cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), weigh in machines (WIM), and other technologies) should be placed.
“State Govts shall ensure that such devices are placed at high-risk / high-density corridors on NHS, State Highways & at critical junctions, at least in major cities with more than 1 million population, including 132 cities mentioned in the notification. The notice of offence shall be sent within fifteen days of the occurrence of the offence and the electronic record collected by way of electronic monitoring should be stored till the disposal of challan,”
the ministry said.
Where The Electronic Enforcement Devices Should Be Placed?
- According to the new guidelines, it is very important to place the electronic enforcement devices in the right place. Especially at high-risk areas and high-density corridors on National Highways and State Highways
- At critical junctions at least in major cities.
- The electronic enforcement device must be installed in such a way that it does not block traffic movement or cause line-of-sight concerns