Kathmandu. The e-challan (digital chit) system implemented by the government with the aim of making it easy for drivers to pay fines for violating traffic rules through digital means has been ineffective.
The government had launched e-challan in 70 districts across the country through the Nagarik app, saying that it would end the problem of printing driving licenses and also reduce the hassle of violating traffic rules. However, in most districts of the country, e-challan is not collecting revenue as expected.
In the six months from Poush to Jestha of the current fiscal year 2081-82, the District Traffic Police Office, Makawanpur, has been able to collect only Rs 559,052 in revenue despite deducting e-challans worth Rs 2,910,545. According to the District Traffic Police Office, Makawanpur, Rs 2,351,493 in revenue is yet to be collected.
The office said that out of 3,271 drivers who violated traffic rules during that period, only 652 paid the prescribed fine. Digital revenue collection is becoming challenging due to the lack of interest among drivers in the digital system and the belief that not filing revenue will not have any impact.
The lowest revenue collected through e-challan in Makawanpur was in the month of Poush. While 266 drivers were taken action in that month, 62 of them paid a fine of Rs 49,502. In the month of May, the maximum number of action was taken against 709 people, and a revenue of Rs 132,520 was collected from 151 people.
The Bagmati Provincial Government has started preparations to ban the renewal of licenses of drivers who do not pay fines after issuing digital chits. The Bagmati Provincial Government has started such preparations to take strict action against drivers who issue digital chits but escape without paying fines.
Prabin Shrestha, Chief of the Traffic Management Office, Hetauda, said that preparations are being made to implement a system to ban the renewal of licenses of drivers who do not pay fines for e-challans for a long time. He said that the provincial government is ready to take legal action as the trend of not paying revenue is increasing.
Shrestha said that such action can range from paying double the fine to not allowing the driver’s license to be renewed.
He said, ‘Bagmati Province is launching new technologies for the convenience of service recipients. Currently, a system has been developed for drivers who violate traffic rules to pay fines immediately through various payment gateways. Despite all this convenience, it is not good to try to escape without paying. Because tomorrow, the state may also make arrangements for the license not to be renewed in the event of non-payment.
Similarly, it can also be done by paying double the fine. Therefore, it is better to pay the fine imposed for violating traffic rules through that payment gateway as soon as possible. Because we should be aware of the hassles that will come tomorrow,’ he said.
Although the facility for drivers to view their license information, receive information about traffic rule violations, take online classes and pay fines through the Citizen App has been provided, the use of the service has been seen as low as expected.
It is said that the system, which has the main goal of ending the hassle of having to visit the traffic office, has not yielded concrete results in government revenue collection in practice. Recently, details received from various districts show that the number of people who do not pay e-challan fines on time is high.
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