The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has reportedly issued 1,986,464 e-challans to the traffic violators caught on camera breaking the traffic rules. These traffic challans added Rs. 192.73 million to the national exchequer in 2020.
As per media reports, the usage of modern CCTV surveillance systems has enabled the traffic police departments across Punjab, especially in Lahore, to monitor the traffic and ensure vehicular discipline on the roads in a much more effective manner.
In a media report released a few months ago, it was highlighted that, in the past 2 years, over 4.4 million e-challans were issued by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority, as a result of which, Rs. 339 million worth of payments had been deposited to the national exchequer.
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An official breakdown of the total number of e-challans issued in the region suggested that around 2 million and 75 thousand vehicles, 2.2 million and 90 thousand motorcycles, and over 85,000 commercial vehicles were given e-tickets for breaking the rules in the past two years.
The action helped bring the number of fatal accidents down by more than 40 percent. An analysis by an international website, Nambeo, suggested that the traffic index in Lahore has improved by 91 degrees.
However, in a more recent development on that front, the Lahore High Court (LHC) questioned the legitimacy of the new e-challan system being enacted by the Lahore City Traffic Police, asking if there is a law that justifies the imposition of e-challans.
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State counsel told the judge that there is no law for the e-challans in existence. However, the counsel added that the law enforcement agencies collect fines through e-challan under direct orders of the court.
The judge, after being informed of the situation, ordered the counsel to present the statement on record about the court ruling that allowed the use of e-challans in the absence of a law.
The issue was reportedly followed-up on by the LHC following a petition that questioned the legality of the e-challans.
Without Heavy Challans, People will never follow rules and regulations. Ghareeb awam ka choran baichna chor do. Rules follow kr Kay paisay or life, dono bacha lo.
BTW mera apna challan Bhi hoa wa ha in 2019 was driving at 72Kmph in 60kmph kay zone ma at 3AM. Raat ko bhi ab empty roads ma Taiz ni chalata.