The Delhi government is preparing to launch a one-time amnesty scheme for vehicle owners, which will offer a waiver of 50 to 70 percent on pending traffic fines, according to a report by The Times of India. Under the scheme, violators are expected to have a two to three-month window to settle the reduced fines. A transport department official noted that the proposal was discussed in a high-level meeting. Scheduled to be implemented in the coming months, the initiative aims to address the significant backlog of unpaid challans.

The report cited an official saying that this would be a one-time relief for vehicle owners, urging people to take advantage of the opportunity to clear their dues, as stricter measures, such as registration cancellation, could follow. Another senior official told the newspaper that the purpose of the scheme is to clear long-standing challans, which would help reduce court workloads and encourage better compliance.

The amnesty is expected to cover both traffic and transport-related challans. Transport department challans are issued for offences like expired Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), driving on the wrong side, and overloading, while traffic police handle violations such as riding without a helmet, jumping red lights, and speeding. Only minor offences will be eligible under the amnesty, while serious violations, including drunk driving, unauthorized driving, and driving without a valid licence, will be excluded. Some of the most common parking and traffic violations in Delhi include obstructive parking, with 419,230 challans issued; driving without a licence, totaling over 200,000 challans; missing PUCC certificates, with 373,197 challans; and riding two-wheelers without helmets, accounting for 259,123 challans.

To enforce traffic discipline, traffic police and transport department teams often use a mobile application to record violations on the spot. A text message is then sent to the violator’s registered phone, and fines can be paid online via the official portal. Despite these measures, many violators delay payments, often waiting for Lok Adalat sessions where fines are frequently reduced. Additionally, the lack of interest or penalties for late payments discourages timely compliance.