Traffic Fines Cross ₹12,000 Crore in 2024: Only 25% Collected Despite 8 Crore e‑Challans
📍 New Delhi | July 2025
In a striking revelation, over 8 crore e‑challans were issued across India in 2024, amounting to traffic fines worth nearly ₹12,000 crore. However, official data shows that only 25% of this amount—around ₹3,000 crore—was actually recovered, leaving a staggering ₹9,000 crore unpaid.
Experts say the low collection rate is due to weak enforcement, delayed notifications, and a public mindset that often views road rules as optional unless directly monitored by police.
The figures highlight a broader challenge: between 2019 and 2023, authorities issued fines totaling ₹1.26 lakh crore under the e‑challan system, but states managed to collect only about ₹12,632 crore—less than 10% of the total.
Officials are now considering new measures, including license suspensions, vehicle blacklisting, and discount schemes to encourage payment of pending challans.
As the number of vehicles continues to rise, road safety activists urge both stricter enforcement and greater public awareness, warning that pending fines are more than just unpaid bills—they reflect a growing culture of indifference to traffic laws, putting countless lives at risk.
