Mumbai: On Saturday, several motorists were told to be present at Lok Adalat to settle their disputes related to the traffic e-challan. Serpentine queues were seen outside courts across the city.
The Department of Consumer Affairs announced on October 6 that the National Lok Adalat will be held on Saturday across the country to dispose of pending cases through settlement. As per traffic authorities, notices were sent both online and offline to the traffic violators.
The motorists were sent a text message with a web link in it, where they can access the notice, and accordingly show up at the Lok Adalat to settle their dues or grievances.
'I am wrongly charged again and again'
However, motorists complain of faulty challans issued to them and claimed to be wrongly charged by the traffic police. “I am wrongly charged again and again. I was once fined for a scooty, while I was riding a car. There are a total of 9 such e-challans are pending, which I refuse to pay as it’s not mine,” said an Andheri-based resident.
Another motorist said, “I was wrongly charged several times. When I contacted the police they told me to send a grievance via email, which I did, almost 100 times, but there’s zero response from their end. Is it fair to pay for an offense that I am not even aware of?”
Another motorist said, “I have been challaned for some other vehicle. Subsequently, I raised the grievance to which I got a standard reply which says the challan is correct but the images clearly talk otherwise.”
Meanwhile, a Twitter user said that the notice he received is for a vehicle he had already sold, and transferred ownership. “I have raised a grievance cell, but no response to date,” he said.
Sold the vehicle, still getting notice from previous RTO
A similar incident happened with another citizen. “I have sold my two-wheeler and already transferred from Tardeo RTO. But I and the person who bought the two-wheeler have received Lok Adalat notice,” he said.
One citizen, who showed up at the Mulund Magistrate Court, tweeted, “As per the notice, the time of Lok Adalat is given from 10-6pm. I reached at 5:10pm and there was no one at the Mulund Court to attend the Adalat.” As per the rules, if the vehicle owners do not remain present before the Lok Adalat, they will be prosecuted.
