The Sindh government has introduced a new e-challan system that aims to improve the city’s traffic while minimising the traffic police’s interaction with the public.
Under the new system inaugurated recently, at least 5,500 challans have already been issued to traffic rule violators throughout the city. Here is what you need to know about the system.
What is the e-challan system?
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Admin Karachi Traffic Police Kashif explained that the system has been introduced as part of the Karachi Safe City Project.
A total of 1,076 cameras have been installed on main thoroughfares in the first phase.
When phase 2 and 3 of the initiative are completed, up to 12,000 cameras will have been installed in all areas of Karachi as well as on toll plazas.
Once a challan is initiated, it will be sent via Pakistan Post to an address linked to the number plate issued by the Sindh Excise and Taxation Department.
While the total time to pay off the challan is 21 days, if it is paid within 14 days, the violator would get a 50 per cent waiver on the amount.
However, failure to pay within 21 days will result in the total amount being doubled on the 22nd day.
How can you appeal?
If you believe you’ve been fined unfairly, there’s a system to file an appeal as well.
Desks have been established across 11 police stations across the city in case you believe you’ve been charged with a challan despite not breaking any traffic rules. The addresses of the said stations can be found on the back of the challan itself.
Once you file a complaint, a token will be issued while a committee of three members will review the appeal.
The committee, established in every district, is led by a senior superintendent of police (SSP) and includes a senior police official and one offcial from the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC).
The CPLC is a non-political statutory organisation that provides community safety and crime prevention services in Sindh.
If your appeal is successful — the processing of which will take three to four days — the challan will be removed from the system. During the process, the timer of 21 days for challan payment remains on pause.
What if you don’t pay the challan?
Failure to pay the challan in three months can result in suspension of one’s driving license.
If the traffic tickets remain unpaid for 6 months, the National Database and Registration Authority will be approached, for blocking of Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC). Nadra will notify the traffic rule violator, and if the challan still remains unpaid, the CNIC can be blocked by the authority.
Moreover, a demerit points system has been built into the e-challan process to further discourage transgression of traffic laws. Every violation a vehicle driver commits will have a demerit point, with 30 demerit points in a year resulting in driving license suspension.
While the mechanism is currently only operational for number plates registered in Sindh, discussions are underway to include vehicles from other provinces.
‘Fear, responsibility, accountability’
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Traffic Karachi Pir Mohammed Shah told Dawn.com, “This system represents a significant milestone in ensuring compliance with traffic laws and enhancing effective monitoring.”
He said the e-challan system is built on the principles of fear, responsibility, and accountability — fear of being captured by cameras, the responsibility that arises from that awareness, and the accountability that comes with knowing that any violation will be recorded and acted upon.
Unlike the previous manual system, where discretion rested with individual officers on the road, the new digital process ensures complete transparency and uniform enforcement, added the traffic police chief.
In addition, citizens can make use of the Trax4Citizens App, available on the Sindh Police website.
The app can be found on the main page (bottom right corner). To download and access it, users simply need to enter their CNIC, mobile number, and e-mail address.
Once registered, the app displays all vehicles registered under the CNIC, along with details of violations and warnings issued against them.
“The application not only allows users to track the status of their challans but also serves as an educational tool, helping citizens understand their driving patterns and avoid future violations,” said the senior traffic cop.
By studying the warnings generated by the system, users can become more aware and responsible drivers, contributing to safer roads for all, said DIG Shah.
“With public cooperation, this system will continue to improve further,” he said, urging citizens to follow traffic rules strictly so that the city’s traffic flow can be improved and road accidents reduced.
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