After issuing notices to traffic violators across Thane to pay the fine or be present in Lok-Adalat, the Thane city traffic police had started collecting the unrecovered fine from the violators.
As per the data provided by the Thane traffic police, they had issued notice to around 2,14,227 vehicles. Whereas, a total of 5,45,657 e-challan calculating a total fine amount of Rs 20,97,50,400 still had to be recovered from the violators.
Balasaheb Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Thane traffic, said since November 25, 2021, to December 11, 2021, they have recovered 57,955 unpaid challans and collected an amount of Rs 2, 14,50,800.
Patil further added the notice was sent asking the traffic violators to pay up the pending fine amount at the nearest traffic chowki or be present at the Lok Adalat on December 11.
The police said that the notices were sent to the violators through text messages on their registered mobile numbers. The message states 'Your Lok Adalat notice for pre-litigation cases regarding traffic violation with a link.'
"Firstly the notice was served to violators who had not paid the challan for six months or more. After the notice was served, our team started taking action against the violators on different junctions and roads in the city limits. After a vehicle is stopped, our police team checks the fine on his vehicle. If they found him a defaultor, they ask to pay the amount on an immediate basis so that they can take their vehicle or further action can be initiated against them," added Patil.
Sources from the traffic claim that many times motorists have a different number registered on their vehicle. In such cases, they prefer not to receive any message.
"However, our officer then shows them the fine on their vehicle and ask them politically to pay the fine and take the vehicle," said a police officer.
Going on with the violators, the Traffic department on December 11 in a single day recovered 1,557 e-challan and collected an amount of Rs 12.36 lakhs.
Patil further added that that the drive against the violators will keep going on in the coming week on daily basis. "Our officials have a record of all the violators, and accordingly, they are on the field to recover it," he added.
