How to Check Traffic Challan Status in Chennai: A Complete Guide
In a bustling metropolis like Chennai, with a huge volume of vehicles on the road, the traffic police issue hundreds of people fines and penalties for breaking traffic regulations every day. You might wonder how to pay if you’ve received a traffic challan in Chennai. Don’t worry—with the introduction of the e-Challan system by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), checking for traffic violations and paying fines has become much more efficient.
Table of Contents
In this blog, we will show you how to check your Chennai traffic challan status, explain how the e-Challan system works, and how to pay your fines and penalties online. While we hope you will practice responsible motoring and avoid any finable offences, we hope that in case you do have to pay them, this blog will be a guide to help you pay your fines without undue stress.
Understanding e-Challan in Chennai
What is an e-Challan?
When you violate traffic rules, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police will issue a challan for penalties. An e-challan is a digital version of this. In Chennai, the e-challan system is highly adopted, and integrated with CCTV surveillance, automated number plate recognition systems, and traffic police handheld devices.
The e-challan system tracks traffic violations such as speeding, jumping red lights, and parking incorrectly. This system makes it more convenient for the authorities to track offenders, and the offenders to settle fines online.
The e-challan system in Chennai was designed to enhance transparency, reduce corruption, and simplify the fine-paying process. It notifies the offender through SMS or email and allows them to access their violation records and pay fines on the official e-Challan website by the MoRTH.
How does e-Challan work in Chennai?
The process for e-challan generation for traffic violations is fairly simple:
1. Detection of violation: The CCTV cameras or traffic police officers with handheld devices will record violations like signal jumping or driving without a helmet.
2. Verification: When the CCTV cameras capture images of the offence, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police's back-end team will check them and cross-verify the vehicle details.
3. Challan generation: An e-challan is generated and linked to the vehicle owner’s details, retrieved from the Regional Transport Office database.
4. Notification: The offender receives an SMS or email with the e-challan details, including which rule was violated, the date, time, and the amount to be paid as a fine.
Steps to Check Traffic Challan Status Online
Here is how you can perform an online challan check to view the status of your e-challan:
1. Visit the official e-challan website by the MoRTH.
2. Click ‘Pay Online’, and enter your vehicle registration or challan number.
3. After entering your details, you can view any Chennai traffic challan that your vehicle has been penalised with.
How to Pay Your e-Challan Online in Chennai
Here is how you can make your Chennai traffic challan online payment:
1. Visit the official e-challan website by the MoRTH.
2. Click ‘Pay Online’, and enter your vehicle registration or challan number.
3. Select the e-challan you want to pay for and choose from payment methods such as net banking, UPI, Paytm, or credit/debit cards.
4. Make the payment, and after a successful transaction, you will receive an SMS and email confirmation.
Chennai Traffic Police Challan Fees
Understanding traffic regulations can help you uphold your civic duty to stay compliant and avoid unfortunate situations where you end up paying hefty fines. The Greater Chennai Traffic Police enforces these regulations by levying fines for offences like overspeeding, signal jumping, or driving without a helmet. Here is a list of a few Chennai traffic police fine details:
Sl. No. |
Nature of offence |
Fine Amount (As of October 2022) |
|
First offence
|
Second offence |
||
1 |
Violation of mandatory traffic signs |
₹500 |
₹1500 |
2 |
Driving a motor vehicle without wearing a safety belt and carrying passengers without wearing a seat belt |
₹1000 |
- |
3 |
Driving without a helmet |
₹1000 |
- |
4 |
Excess persons in motorcycle beyond the capacity |
₹1000 |
- |
5 |
Driving at excessive speed |
₹1000 |
- |
6 |
₹10,000 |
- |
|
7 |
Rash and negligent driving |
₹1000 |
₹10,000 |
8 |
Use of handheld communication devices while driving |
₹1000 |
₹10,000 |
9 |
Using motor vehicles for racing (or) speed trials on public roads without proper permission |
₹5000 |
₹10,000 |
10 |
Using a motor vehicle without registration |
₹2500 |
₹5000 |
11 |
Driving uninsured vehicles |
₹2000 |
₹4000 |
12 |
Failure to produce driving license, insurance, or other documents |
₹500 |
₹1500 |
These penalties are updated by The Greater Chennai Traffic Police regularly through official notices.
Validity of e-Challan
Once issued, an e-challan in Chennai remains valid for 60 days from the date of its issuance. Failure to settle the e-challan within this timeframe may result in surging penalties and potential legal repercussions. It is very important to routinely conduct a traffic fine check to mitigate any unforeseen expenses or escalations.
Conclusion
To avoid unnecessary fines and keep your record clean, it is important to stay informed about your traffic challan status. Regularly checking your challan status and paying your e-challans on time ensures you stay compliant with the city's traffic rules and avoid escalating penalties.
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FAQs
1. How can I check my traffic challan status in Chennai?
You can perform an online challan check to view the status of your e-challan by visiting the MoRTH official e-challan website. Click ‘Pay Online’, and enter your vehicle registration or challan number. After entering your details, you can view any Chennai traffic challan with which your vehicle has been penalised.
2. What happens if I don’t pay my e-challan on time?
Failing to pay your e-challan on time can result in additional penalties, and in some cases, the traffic authorities may take legal action or suspend your driving license. It is advisable to settle the fines promptly to avoid such issues.
3. Can I dispute an incorrect traffic challan in Chennai?
Yes, if you believe you’ve been wrongly fined, you can dispute the challan by visiting the nearest traffic police station in Chennai or using the Parivahan portal. You’ll need to provide evidence supporting your claim to contest the violation.
4. What are the most common traffic violations that lead to fines in Chennai?
Common violations include speeding, jumping red lights, not wearing seatbelts, riding without helmets, using mobile phones while driving, and illegal parking. The Greater Chennai Traffic Police regulations specify specific fines for each infraction.
5. How can I pay my traffic fines online in Chennai?
You can make your e-challan payment in Chennai online through the e-challan platform by MoRTH. This website allows for secure and quick payments using various methods, including debit/credit cards, net banking, and UPI.